Montenegro has become the latest beneficiary to receive the first installment from the European Union’s Growth Plan, leaving only Kosovo and Serbia without initial financial support from the EU’s most ambitious package aimed at doubling the Western Balkans’ economy over the next decade.
While Serbia has completed all technical procedures required for fund disbursement, Brussels remains hesitant to move forward. The delay is widely believed to stem from concerns that releasing funds immediately after Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić’s visit to Moscow could be perceived as a reward, especially since the EU had explicitly requested Vučić to avoid the Russian capital.
Kosovo’s situation is more complex. The country remains hampered by institutional deadlock. Without a fully constituted parliament and functional government, Kosovo cannot even begin the necessary ratification procedures for agreements with the EU—an essential prerequisite for the disbursement of funds.
Experts suggest the ideal scenario would be simultaneous funding transfers to both Pristina and Belgrade. However, given the post-election institutional delays in Kosovo following the February 9 vote, it is unlikely the European Commission will wait for Kosovo to meet all criteria before disbursing funds to Serbia.
Even if Kosovo forms institutions soon, sources indicate that internal procedures could take an additional two to three months before the first installment from the European Commission can be received.
This delay highlights the significant political and institutional challenges blocking economic progress in the Western Balkans and underlines the urgent need for political stability to unlock vital EU support.
