Vienna summit tackles joint projects, and problems

Vienna summit tackles joint projects, and problems

The summit, which brings together leaders of the region and the EU, was opened by Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann, who pointed out that Austria has close economic and social ties with the Western Balkans, "which are very good and progressed over time."

Austrian Vice Chancellor and Minister of Economy Reinhold Mitterlehner announced that the EU will support the Western Balkans countries with 600 million for energy, transport and railway projects.

Mitterlehner told journalists that 24 projects that will be implemented the coming years have been confirmed, worth about 7.7 billion, which should result in GDP growth of one percent per year in the Western Balkans, with the goal of creating 200,000 jobs in the next 15 years.

The agreed package of support is provided for ten different periods to be launched in the coming period, including the highway Nis-Pristina-Durres and the modernization of the railway line between Belgrade and Sarajevo.

When it comes to solving the refugee crisis, Serbia and Macedonia earlier in the day asked the European Union to take action, given that a million euros, earmarked for assistance to these countries, is not enough.

Important encouragement for the opening of negotiating chapters with Serbia also came from Vienna, Tanjug said, quoting EU Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy Johannes Hahn as saying that this "should be done as soon as possible."

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria Sebastian Kurz said that the peace project of the EU incomplete without the Western Balkans, while German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier explained that Germany initiated the Berlin process - that continued with the Vienna summit - with the aim to encourage and accelerate the process of Western Balkan countries's moving closer to the EU, as well as conflict resolution.

After the end of the summit the results will be announced by Werner Faymann, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, and on behalf of the region, Serbian PM Aleksandar Vucic.