Representatives of WB6, EU, U.S. to Discuss Growth Plan for Region in Kotor

Kotor (BETAPHOTO/Milos Miskov)

On May 16, Montenegro is gathering Western Balkan leaders and representatives of the EU and the U.S. at a summit that will focus on the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic will host the summit in Kotor, under the slogan "One region, common vision."

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, the prime ministers of Kosovo, Albania, and North Macedonia - Albin Kurti, Edi Rama, and Talat Xhaferi respectively, are to take part, as will the chairwoman of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Council of Ministers, Borjana Kristo.

EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi will also attend the summit, along with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien.

The U.S. Department of State has announced that O'Brien and the other participants of the summit in Kotor will focus on regional economic integration and the growth opportunity provided by the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, and will increase the U.S.' strong support to the Western Balkans' path to EU membership.

The Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, which the European Commission adopted in November, and the EU two weeks ago, envisages financial support of EUR6 billion, of which two billion are grants and four billion favorable loans given by the EU. The condition for receiving the funds is implementation of reforms, primarily in the area of respecting democratic mechanisms, the rule of law, and fundamental rights.