Following the removal of an initial set of restrictive measures by the European Union at the end of last year worth approximately €216 million, along with earlier measures the first tangible effects are now becoming visible.
While some projects have already resumed, the EU emphasized that it aims to unlock an additional €205 million for projects at the beginning of this year.
Stating that it cannot yet publish the full list, the EU categorized the funding by programs, including investments that had started five years ago under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA).
“This will be done in line with the Presidency’s conclusions on enlargement adopted on December 16, allowing the remaining contracting of IPA 2021 (around €17 million), IPA 2022 (€55.7 million), and the contracting of projects from the Western Balkans Investment Framework (€132 million),” the European Union said in a response to TV Dukagjini.
This is expected to trigger a new wave of project resumptions that had been suspended since June 2023 as a result of measures that former EU High Representative Josep Borrell had referred to as sanctions.
One of the first visible effects of the measures lifted last year is the wastewater treatment tender in Gjilan.
This project, worth around €11 million, was signed in May 2020 and aims to improve the environment and public health, as well as reduce water pollution.
Project description: supply and installation of approximately 12.5 km of sewage pipelines in urban and rural areas, construction of overflow chambers, as well as the supply and installation of around 3.5 km of drinking water pipelines in the area of the new wastewater treatment plant.
On December 16, the EU announced the release of four projects worth a total of €34.6 million.
The largest unlocked project was valued at €17.6 million for doubling the heating capacity in Pristina, enabling the continued expansion of the Termokos network and the connection of around 20,000 new consumers.
This is followed by a €12 million project for a wastewater treatment plant at the “Kosova B” power plant.
