Starovic: We received guarantees from Kos that the first tranche from the Growth Plan will be paid in July

The Serbian Minister for European Integration, Nemanja Starovic, who took part today in the Western Balkans–European Union summit in Skopje, stated that he received guarantees from European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos that the first tranche from the Growth Plan, amounting to 68 million euros, will be disbursed during July.

Starovic emphasized that the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans is tied to the European agenda, and that with the implementation of specific elements, countries gain access to funding. He reminded that the Growth Plan is worth six billion euros, with over one billion allocated to Serbia.

“In the meantime, we submitted the request for the first tranche of 68 million euros, in addition to previously disbursed funds. What we received today as a guarantee from the European Commissioner for Enlargement is that the first tranche will be paid during the month of July,” Starovic told Kosovo Online.

He added that this is just the beginning, as the request for the next tranche from the Growth Plan is already being prepared.

He conveyed that the Summit provided an opportunity to discuss very concrete matters that go beyond the Growth Plan itself, particularly regarding ways to include companies from the Western Balkans in existing EU value chains in specific sectors.

“We discussed green corridors, which are especially important. Green corridors function within the Western Balkans, and our goal is to implement an accelerated border-crossing system for our trucks when it comes to crossings with EU member states. We've made the most progress with Hungary, but we want the same with Bulgaria, Romania, and Croatia,” the minister said.

He assessed that the most important topic discussed was the abolition of roaming fees for citizens within the EU.

“If both sides do what is necessary in the coming months, I believe that in the first half of 2026, our citizens will be able to use their mobile phones and internet freely within the EU, without fear of exorbitant charges. I think the discussions were very substantive. As the head of the Serbian delegation, we maintained constant vigilance to ensure that Serbia’s national interests and dignity were in no way compromised, especially since this summit, like all previous ones, was held in a strictly status-neutral environment,” Starovic noted.

He stressed that Serbia continues to highlight its strategic economic priorities.

At the summit, Starovic also pointed out that the European Commission has assessed since 2021 that Serbia is ready to open Cluster 3, which covers competition rules and inclusive growth, and that Serbia expects further support from EU member states to accelerate the process.

According to him, progress in Cluster 2, which pertains to the free movement of goods, services, capital, and labor, brings direct benefits to Serbia's economy and increasingly integrates the country into the EU's internal market, which is why the Commission’s support for opening this cluster is also of great importance.

The Growth Plan for the Western Balkans is based on a long-term vision of shared prosperity and strengthening mutual trust within the region and with the European Union, and Serbia remains committed to that strategic orientation, Minister Starovic concluded.

The panel was hosted by the Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia, Hristijan Mickoski, and also featured speeches by European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Borjana Kristo, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, and Montenegro's Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Filip Ivanovic.