TIRANA, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced here on Wednesday that Albania would receive over 920 million euros (around 993.6 million U.S. dollars) as part of the EU's Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.
This plan, launched in November 2023, aims to accelerate growth and integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union.
At a joint press conference with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, von der Leyen highlighted that the approval of Albania's reform agenda would lead to an initial disbursement of 64 million euros by the end of the year.
The growth plan includes a Reform and Growth Facility, which offers a mix of grants and loans worth 6 billion euros for the region. Countries in the Western Balkans can access this financial support after meeting reform requirements set by the EU.
Von der Leyen is in Albania as part of her 4-day visit to the Western Balkan states and region.
Von der Leyen expressed satisfaction with Albania's recent opening of its first negotiation chapter for EU membership, attributing it to years of dedicated efforts. She also said she hoped that negotiations on all chapters would commence by the end of next year and reaffirmed that EU expansion would be a priority for her upcoming term.
Meanwhile, Rama acknowledged the complexity of the accession negotiations but reaffirmed Albania's commitment to achieving EU membership. Both leaders also discussed renewable energy, energy efficiency, and Albania's planned inclusion in the Single Euro Payments Area. (1 euro = 1.08 U.S. dollar) ■