The European Union has announced a temporary suspension of funds allocated to Serbia under its Western Balkans growth plan, citing concerns about a recent judicial reform. European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos emphasised, “For now, we have stopped all payments from the growth plan because the judiciary has regressed.” The commissioner was invited to an event at the University of Freiburg in Switzerland on 1 May.
The EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans earmarks €6 billion in funding for the period 2024-2027, aimed at stimulating economic growth and facilitating the region’s integration into the European Union. The disbursement of these funds is dependent on the implementation of specific reforms, particularly those that ensure judicial independence and combat corruption.
In January, Serbia enacted a judicial reform that has drawn criticism for allegedly granting court presidents greater authority over judges while weakening safeguards protecting prosecutors’ independence. This has raised significant concerns among both EU officials and the Council of Europe. The Venice Commission, which serves as an advisory body on constitutional matters, recently published a statement expressing that the judicial reform was adopted hastily and without adequate democratic discourse, and it has provided recommendations to address these deficiencies.
During a session of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on 20 April, Commissioner Kos warned Western Balkan nations that they risk losing €700 million from the European Economic Growth Plan if necessary reforms are not enacted by June or December of this year. She indicated that the European Commission is presently reviewing whether Serbia continues to fulfil all conditions for receiving European financial assistance, including those linked to the growth plan. Within this framework, Serbia currently has access to approximately €1.5 billion out of a total of about €1.6 billion available.
