The European Union will provide € 3.3 billion Balkan countries to combat the coronavirus, and is also preparing an investment plan, which is called a new Marshall plan. About it writes “Kommersant”.
So, on may 6 in the videoconference held a summit of EU and Balkan countries. Following the meeting, the EU expressed its support for the European perspective of the Balkans, however, has not commented on the possibility of accession of these States to the European Union. As explained by the publication of European sources, France, the Netherlands and Germany opposed the inclusion in the outcome document of the wording of the EU enlargement, noting that until this time has not come.
Besides the financial help, European leaders urged the European Commission to come to autumn with a strong investment plan for the Balkans whose purpose would be to restore the economy of the region and strengthening its ties with the EU.
This document is informally called the new Marshall plan. As explained by the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell, this is the essence of the plan, which the EU will prepare to fall. In turn, the EU leaders require progress in the field of rule of law and reform, and commitment to the values, rules and standards of the European Union.
In April, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged a new Marshall plan for pandemic coronavirus. She stated the need to invest billions of euros into the European economy in order to “prevent a catastrophe in the future.”
Adopted in 1948, the Marshall plan included aid to Europe from the USA for billions of dollars. He helped to rebuild European economies destroyed by the Second world war.
