BiH misses out on 70 million euros from Growth Plan due to RS blockade

(Patria) - Due to a lack of political consensus, BiH has missed an opportunity and will not receive the first tranche from the Western Balkans Growth Plan, the EU Delegation to BiH confirmed.

"BiH will not receive the first unconditional pre-financing installment scheduled for disbursement after the summer, worth 7% (around 70 million euros, editor's note), thus missing a significant opportunity for early funding," the Delegation stated.

They note that the first installment of the Growth Plan can only be disbursed after the European Commission and Bosnia and Herzegovina formally agree on the Reform Agenda.

"The Commission continues to work with the authorities, supporting the finalization of the work as needed and looks forward to receiving the Reform Agenda once it is politically accepted.

The Commission will then assess it without delay, as was the case with other partners, with the aim of its final adoption as soon as possible," the EU emphasized.

They remind that the BiH authorities submitted a draft of the complete Reform Agenda to the European Commission, which is a necessary basis for participation in the Western Balkans Growth Plan.

The European Commission prepared its assessment of the draft BiH Reform Agenda and conveyed its comments to the BiH authorities, requesting certain revisions.

However, on July 16, the BiH authorities informed the Commission that, in the absence of political consensus, they were not in a position to share the finalized text.

The Growth Plan is supported by a new financial instrument – the Reform and Growth Instrument for the Western Balkans – worth up to six billion euros in grants and loans for the entire region.