BELGRADE – Germany has prepared a “mini Marshall Plan” for the Balkans to give the region’s economies a lift in the years to come and, in a way, provide compensation for the long wait for EU membership, Večernje novosti reported, quoting diplomatic sources, Tanjug reports.
Berlin’s proposal will soon be tabled to the European Council in Brussels, which should approve it and set up a special fund for the Balkan states, the report said.
The money for implementing the plan, named Berlin Plus, should be secured by, among others, the European Economic Area (EEA) – consisting of all EU member states, Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway – and the European Free Trade Association, made up of the same group of countries and Switzerland.
With donor campaigns still pending, the figures, which are expected to be significant due to the scope of the project, remain unknown.