Brussels, 19 September 2024 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, who is on official visit to Brussels, together with the other Western Balkan leaders attended Thursday a working lunch held by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

In a post on social media platform X, von der Leyen wrote that all six countries Western Balkan countries belong in Europe. 

“This is what we are working on. In parallel, we are bringing their economies and markets closer to ours with our €6 billion Growth Plan for the region,” von der Leyen wrote.

The meeting focused on mutual cooperation and the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, as part of which a Reform and Growth Facility has been established worth €6 billion, intended for reforms and projects related to the socio-economic sphere and fundamental rights. 

In addition to Mickoski, the working lunch was attended by the prime ministers of Albania – Edi Rama, Kosovo – Albin Kurti, Montenegro – Milojko Spajić, the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Borjana Krišto, and the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić.

On Thursday afternoon, Mickoski is expected to meet with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, as well as with the Director-General of the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), Gert Jan Koopman.

On his visit to Brussels, Mickoski is being accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Timcho Mucunski, and the Minister of European Affairs, Orhan Murtezani. 

Photo and video: EBS