Gert Jan Koopman, Director-General for Enlargement at the European Commission, said on Tuesday at the European Parliament that Albania and Montenegro have made strong progress in delivering the reforms envisaged under the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. According to him, an implementation level of around 80% is being calculated for these two countries, starting in June.
In an overview of regional progress, Koopman stressed that around 90% of all steps have either been fully completed or are under way, and 57% of them had been carried out by June. However, he noted significant differences among the Western Balkan countries.
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The European official said that North Macedonia has significantly intensified and expanded its efforts in recent months, expecting its implementation rate to exceed 50%. He added that the country is quickly regaining momentum.
Regarding Serbia, Koopman acknowledged that the country has shown a more selective commitment, with around 35% of reforms completed and active work under way on 85% of the steps. He noted that Belgrade has recently devoted itself more diligently to implementing the Instrument.
Another issue addressed was Kosovo, which remains considerably behind due to internal political deadlocks that have blocked the adoption of essential legislation. However, following the June elections, Koopman saw signs of institutional stability being built and hopes for an increase in the implementation rate.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is described as the most challenging case, also due to internal political blockades. The European Commission has reduced the funds earmarked for the country and proposes transferring them to the European Innovation Council Department for the Western Balkans, so that the resources remain in the region.
In response to questions regarding payments to Serbia, Koopman explained that the Commission is still assessing compliance with one of the two general conditions related to the rule of law. He acknowledged that the lack of disbursement shows there is still no full confidence in the situation, which remains far from satisfactory, as also reflected in the latest enlargement report.
Nevertheless, Koopman added that a more serious commitment from the Serbian authorities to addressing problematic issues has been observed in recent months. As an example, he cited recent steps, including the start of work by the REM Council—the media oversight body—over the past weekend.
