Skopje, 26 October 2022 (MIA) – Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski will welcome Wednesday European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is paying a visit to North Macedonia as part of her Western Balkans tour. EC President Von der Leyen is expected to convey the message over EU’s commitment to the European integration of the region, MIA reports from Brussels. The European Commission has said the visit aims to highlight the importance of the area for the European Union. “This visit is taking place in a specific context of continued crises, first the covid and now the war in Ukraine and its effects,” said EC Spokesperson Eric Mamer. Von der Leyen said last week in Strasbourg that one part of the assistance in the field of the energy crisis will be to involve the countries of the Western Balkans in the joint procurement of energy resources together with EU members. The platform aims to strengthen cooperation among countries and lower competitiveness among countries on the energy market. “The message is solidarity of the EU with the region, engagement through programmes that focus on stimulating investments and the will to continue cooperation with the whole region,” said Mamer. Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani said last week that Von der Leyen would present the EC energy support package for the region worth EUR 1 billion in Skopje. From Skopje, the EC President is set to travel to Prishtina and Tirana on Thursday, Sarajevo and Belgrade on Friday, and Podgorica on Saturday.