Chaired by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, the thirteenth meeting of the Strategic Planning Commission was held today, during which applications for the next round of the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) were reviewed.
“The Western Balkans Investment Framework has opened two calls: for the 31st round of technical assistance grants and for the 10E round of investment grants. Today, we will approve applications for the open call for technical assistance grants, which will be used to prepare and support the implementation of infrastructure investments,” stated the Prime Minister in his opening remarks.
He further added that the funding source for infrastructure projects through the WBIF mechanism will come from the Growth Plan, and the approval of calls in the areas of energy, transport, digital infrastructure, and human capital will be based on the fulfillment of reforms that our institutions have agreed upon with the European Commission under the Reform Agenda for the EU Growth Plan.
“Kosovo is in the process of finalizing the negotiation process for the reform agenda, a process in which we are among the only countries in the region, if not the only one, to have respected all the very ambitious deadlines set by the EU from the beginning. In the coming weeks, we expect the process to conclude with the signing and entry into force of agreements with the EU regarding the new instrument and the special loan agreement. After this, I expect all responsible institutions to maintain this pace in respecting deadlines for meeting objectives, specifically the targets set in their sectors,” Kurti said.
In addition to Prime Minister Kurti, attendees included the First Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Development, and Dialogue, Besnik Bislimi; the Minister of Finance, Labor, and Transfers, Hekuran Murati; the Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli; Deputy Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning, and Infrastructure, Jeton Raka; as well as members of government cabinets and heads of offices within the Prime Minister’s Office and line ministries.
