The European Commission announced that it will immediately release 38 million euros in assistance to the Western Balkans to combat the health crisis and will reallocate 374 million euros in assistance to deal with socio-economic consequences, reported MIA’s correspondent from Brussels.
This announcement comes after Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi stated that “EU will always be here for the Western Balkans”.
“We will help our partners to cover immediate needs of their health systems and to promote longer term measures to mitigate the socio-economic impact of the coronavirus crisis and support small- and medium-sized enterprises in the region”, stated Varhelyi.
More specifically, the European Commission responds to the request of countries in the region and will support their urgent needs in terms of medical and protective equipment.
Albania and North Macedonia will receive 4 million euros each, Bosnia and Herzegovina will be assisted with 7 million euros, Montenegro with 3 million euros, and 15 million euros are intended for Serbia, which has suffered the most until now, indicated the European Commission.
Brussels will include countries from the region in EU initiatives such as joint procurement schemes for protective equipment, and will accelerate implementation of the project with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. In principle, this project should start in 2021 and concerns capacity development for infectious disease control, improved capacity of emergency medical services and development of public microbiology laboratories.
Remaining funds come from the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance known as IPA, which will redirect 62 million euros for North Macedonia to mitigate economic effects of the crisis, increase social protection, support the private sector and strengthen the public health sector. In that, the total assistance for our country amounts to 66 million euros.
Serbia will benefit from 78.4 million euros, Albania – 46.7, Bosnia – 73.5, Montenegro – 50, and Kosovo will receive 63 million euros.