W. Balkans "wants more money" from EU funds

Representatives of the five countries in the Western Balkan agreed to ask for more money from the EU preaccession funds (IPA) as they met on Monday in Belgrade. This would come on condition that the funds be proportionally reduced after their EU accession, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Bozzidar Djelic stated on Monday. W. Balkans "wants more money" from EU funds Djelic, who is also the National Coordinator for EU IPA, noted that Serbia is granted EU pre-accession assistance worth around EUR 2 billion which it can use up in the course of the ten years. The increased funds would be used for construction of infrastructure, improving business conditions in the fields of agriculture, industry and raising living standards, Djelic explained and added that officials at the Monday meeting agreed on several principles which should be adopted by the signing of a joint document in Zagreb on May 10. The first of these principles would refer to an increase of money granted to EU hopefuls from EU IPA, while the funds would be proportionally lower after the countries obtain EU membership. The participants in the meeting (Beta)

W. Balkans "wants more money" from EU funds

Đelić, who is also the National Coordinator for EU IPA, noted that Serbia is granted EU pre-accession assistance worth around EUR 2 billion which it can use up in the course of the ten years.

The increased funds would be used for construction of infrastructure, improving business conditions in the fields of agriculture, industry and raising living standards, Đelić explained and added that officials at the Monday meeting agreed on several principles which should be adopted by the signing of a joint document in Zagreb on May 10.

The first of these principles would refer to an increase of money granted to EU hopefuls from EU IPA, while the funds would be proportionally lower after the countries obtain EU membership.