Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi met today with a delegation from the European Commission to discuss the implementation of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) in Kosovo.
IPA assistance is the EU’s main instrument of support for reform in Kosovo, using both financial and technical assistance. It is used to help Kosovo progress on its European path.
All sectors of support, political and economic criteria, were discussed with a special focus on fundamentals such as rule of law, public administration reform and structural reforms, private sector development, human capital and inclusive society but also priorities like the Green Agenda and the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans. The European Commission urged the government to accelerate the preparations for flagship initiatives under the Economic and Investment Plan.
Both parties agreed on the importance of proper monitoring and follow-up of the EU assistance. The European Commission noted the commitment of the Government to strengthen Kosovo’s absorption capacity and overall donor coordination. The new phase of IPA III assistance, implemented during 2021-2027, is programmed on a competitive basis and will be allocated based on relevance and maturity of presented projects.
The European Commission commended the government’s commitment to identify relevant and mature projects to help make everyday life better for people in Kosovo. However, several challenging projects were discussed that require timely action by the government to ensure successful implementation and move forward with reforms relevant for Kosovo’s European path.
During IPA II (2014-2020), Kosovo received EUR 602 million from the EU through the bilateral envelope, or in average EUR 86 Million EUR per year. Whereas, the EU has invested nearly EUR 3 billion through multi-country IPA support for the Western Balkans and Turkey.
