Skopje, 22 January, 2024
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated today in the meeting and discussion with the leaders of the Western Balkans and representatives of the European Union and the United States of America dedicated to the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, approved by the European Commission.
With the theme “The Western Balkans meets the European Union”, in the conference that was held in Skopje, North Macedonia under the organization of the Government of North Macedonia, in addition to the regional leaders, there were two high representatives of the European Union, the General Director for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations, Gert Jan Koopman and Deputy Director for Europe at the European External Action Service (EEAS), Marko Makovec, as well as Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs of the US State Department, James C. O’Brien.
Initially, at last night’s dinner, which preceded today’s meetings and discussions, the Prime Minister emphasized that the Growth Plan and the Common Regional Market of the Berlin Process should accelerate the membership of the Western Balkans in the European Union and EU funds should be related to EU values.
Meanwhile, today in the joint meeting and discussion, he reconfirmed his and the Republic of Kosovo’s support for the Growth Plan, for which he also gave support in October last year.
He said the Government is preparing an indicative list of projects aimed at closing infrastructural gaps and promoting economic development, to be financed in the Reform and Growth Fund, subsequently accelerating growth and convergence with the European Union. He added that the improvements in democratic and economic indicators in the last three years prove that Kosovo is very ready and interested in reforms.
In the end, Prime Minister Kurti also held a short press conference where, among other things, he said that he fully supports the approach that conditions EU funds with EU values and that he believes that membership in the European Union should be guided by merit and be based on values.
This Growth Plan, he told reporters, is not only an opportunity for reforms and economic growth, but also a chance for closer regional cooperation and integration between the countries of the Western Balkans, therefore we must be constructive in our engagement and aware of the transformative power of our decisions.
In Skopje, together with Prime Minister Kurti, there were also the first deputy prime minister, Besnik Bislimi, the Minister of Finance, Labor and Transfers, Hekuran Murati and the Ambassador of Kosovo to North Macedonia, Florian Qehaja.
Prime Minister Kurti’s address to the leaders of the region and partners in the joint discussion about the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans: https://kryeministri.rks-gov.net/blog/adresimi-i-kryeministrit-kurti-para-lidereve-te-rajonit-dhe-partnereve-ne-diskutimin-e-perbashket-rreth-planit-te-rritjes-per-ballkanin-perendimor/
Prime Minister Kurti’s full speech at the press conference after the meeting and discussion of the leaders of the Western Balkans about the Growth Plan: https://kryeministri.rks-gov.net/blog/fjala-e-plote-e-kryeministrit-kurti-ne-konferencen-per-media-pas-takimit-dhe-diskutimit-te-lidereve-te-ballkanit-perendimor-rreth-planit-te-rritjes/
Last modified: January 24, 2024