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Ursula von der Leyen to tour Western Balkans, skipping Serbia and Bosnia
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will conduct a regional tour of the Western Balkans from September 30 to October 2. The tour will include visits to Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, where she will meet with heads of state and government and visit EU-funded projects.
Notably, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina have been excluded from this specific leg of the tour. The European Commission stated that the decision was made due to upcoming elections in both countries, with plans to visit them at a later date. This marks a departure from previous years when the President typically visited all six countries in the region as a single group.
In Serbia, President Aleksandar Vučić characterized the decision to delay the visit as an 'elegant way' to avoid the two nations. Meanwhile, political figures like Dragan Đilas suggested the move ensures EU institutions are not used as campaign resources. The tour will also focus on the Western Balkans Growth Plan, a six billion euro initiative for the 2024-2027 period, and the ongoing European integration process for the region.
Entities
Aleksandar Vučić · Arianna Podesta · European Commission · Ratko Mladić · Ursula von der Leyen · Western Balkans
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Ursula von der Leyen announced pathways for the most advanced candidates for EU enlargement. panoptikum.mk
- [● 22 SOURCES] The tour will include visits to Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. racin.mk · skopje1.mk · fjala.al · insajder.net · n1info.si · +16 more
- [● 22 SOURCES] Ursula von der Leyen will conduct a regional tour of the Western Balkans from September 30 to October 2. racin.mk · skopje1.mk · fjala.al · insajder.net · n1info.si · +16 more
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Western Balkans Growth Plan is valued at six billion euros for the period 2024 to 2027. racin.mk · skopje1.mk
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Ilhan Ćukçiu stated that a political consensus between major parties in North Macedonia is necessary for the EU path. skopje1.mk
- [● 22 SOURCES] Visits to Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are excluded from this tour due to upcoming elections. racin.mk · skopje1.mk · fjala.al · insajder.net · n1info.si · +16 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] The European Union will not be complete without the Western Balkans. skopje1.mk · fjala.al · racin.mk · rrugapress.al · face.ba · +5 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] The glorification of war criminals has no place in the European Union. insajder.net · n1info.si · face.ba · fena.ba · www.poslovni.hr · +2 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] There is a proposal to link the EU more closely with Canada, potentially as a block alternative to NATO. vesnik.com · novamakedonija.com.mk · vecer.mk
- [● 3 SOURCES] A roadmap has been established for the Western Balkans, including Macedonia. vesnik.com · novamakedonija.com.mk · vecer.mk
- [● 3 SOURCES] Ursula von der Leyen delivered a State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg. vesnik.com · novamakedonija.com.mk · vecer.mk
- [● 3 SOURCES] The European Union is experiencing a daily trade deficit of one billion with China. vesnik.com · novamakedonija.com.mk · vecer.mk