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Author: WeBalkans

EU approves €100 million for post-earthquake reconstruction in Albania

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

The European Commission has adopted a €100 million package to support the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in Albania following the November 2019 earthquake. This funding is part of the total European Commission pledge of €115 million made at the International Donors’ Conference Together for Albania, earlier this year.

 

The EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, said: “With the adoption of this €100 million financial package, the European Union is living up to its commitment to help Albania in the reconstruction efforts following the earthquake, just as we are also supporting the country to address the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis. We have delivered on our promise to stand by the citizens of Albania and renewed our support to Albania and its European future.”

 

The newly adopted programme will focus on the renovation and reconstruction of education facilities, to allow children to return to school with better conditions and facilities. It will build on the work already initiated under the existing €15 million reconstruction programme financed by the European Commission. The programme will also support the repair of damaged cultural heritage sites.

 

All construction will follow the “Build Back Better” principle, applying sustainable building norms and reduce future risk, rebuilding safer and more disaster-resilient infrastructure and systems. The special measure will also bring improvements to energy efficiency.

High Representative / Vice President Josep Borrell met with the Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, met with the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Duško Marković, on 13 July. They exchanged views on Montenegro’s EU path and the political situation in the country in the run-up to the parliamentary elections scheduled for 30 August.

 

The High Representative and the Prime Minister discussed the Western Balkans’ revitalised EU integration process and Montenegro’s progress in its EU accession talks. High Representative Borrell welcomed the important milestone achieved by Montenegro in opening its last negotiating chapter on 30 June and stressed the importance of Montenegro continuing to demonstrate the concrete results of the country’s engagement in reforms.

 

Montenegro’s full alignment with the EU’s foreign and security policy and its contribution to EU peace missions around the world was also welcomed. The importance of continued work together in crucial security fields such as fighting terrorism and countering hybrid threats was also underlined during the discussion.

 

The High Representative and the Prime Minister touched upon the regional dimension too. High Representative / Vice President Borrell emphasised that good neighbourly relations, coordination and cooperation within the region remain an essential element of the enlargement process, and encouraged Montenegro to continue its decisive role in this regard.

 

Finally, they also discussed the impact of COVID-19 on Montenegro and the strong mutual solidarity between the EU and Montenegro since the outbreak of the pandemic. The EU is, and will remain, the largest and most reliable partner for the Western Balkan region in addressing the immediate, long-term and structural impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Niš-Sofija gas pipeline to bring natural gas supply and improve air quality in Serbia

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in News.

The planned construction of the Niš-Sofija gas pipeline is set for early 2021. This new natural gas connection will open development possibilities and new markets and contribute towards a cleaner environment.

 

The total value of the construction work is estimated at around €85 million, of which the European Union is financing €49.6 million. Citizens and businesses of the towns of Bela Palanka, Pirot, and Dimitrovgrad – previously unconnected – will now have access to gas for the first time.

 

The main objective for constructing a gas pipeline that will link existing transport systems of Serbia and Bulgaria is to increase the security of natural gas supply for Serbia. Serbia currently only has one point of supply, on the border with Hungary. However, once the Balkan Stream gas pipeline is constructed, the role of this original gas pipeline will not be diminished. Instead, it will allow Serbian consumers to receive gas from other sources. The projected capacity of 1.8 billion cubic metres of gas a year will meet 80% of Serbia’s current gas needs.