Russia’s energy blackmail and manipulation of the markets is not sparing the Western Balkans. The EU is determined to support our partners in coping with high energy prices and improving their energy security in the long term. This is the context of President von der Leyen‘s visit to the Western Balkans this week. President first visited the Republic of North Macedonia, where she  had meetings with President Stavo Pendarovski and Prime Minister Dimitar Kovačevski. On Thursday morning, President von der Leyen  traveled to Pristina, Kosovo, where she met with President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu and Prime Minister Albin Kurti. In the afternoon, the President traveled to Tirana, Albania, where she met with President Bajram Begaj and Prime Minister Edi Rama.

On Friday morning, she will travel to Sarajevo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There, the President will meet with the newly elected members of the country’s Presidency, as well as the elected members of the Parliamentary Assembly and selected representatives of society. In the afternoon, President von der Leyen will travel to Belgrade, in Serbia, where she will meet President Aleksandar Vučić and Prime Minister Ana Brnabić. She will also visit the Gas Interconnector Serbia-Bulgaria in the village of Jelašnica, together with President Vučić. Lastly, on Saturday, the President will be in Podgorica, in Montenegro, where she will meet with President Milo Đukanović and Prime Minister Dritan Abazović. She will visit the project ‘Trans-Balkan Electricity Corridor: Grid Section in Montenegro’.