PRISTINA - The informal meeting of ministers of foreign affairs and ministers of transport of countries in the region began in Pristina on Wednesday and Serbia is represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Zorana Mihajlovic and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic.

The conference will cover tangible economic projects of regional character with a special emphasis on investments in infrastructure which can be realised from EU funds aimed at the development of the Western Balkans.

The third meeting between ministers in the region will take place in Pristina without display of national symbols and the meeting will be headed by Kosovo Minister of Foreign Affairs Hasim Taci.

The conference gathers ministers of foreign affairs and infrastructure of the Western Balkan region and European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, and European Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc will address the participants through a video call.

The conference is also attended by Head of the EU Delegation in Serbia Michael Davenport.

EU ALLOCATES EUR BIL FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROMOTION IN BALKANS

Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn announced in Pristina on Wednesday that the EU will allocate one billion euros for the promotion of infrastructure in the Western Balkan countries.

Projects in the fields of infrastructure, transport and energy are crucial for economic development, attraction of new investments and creation of jobs, Hahn underlined at an informal conference of ministers of regional countries in Pristina on Wednesday.

As early as in 2015, EUR 100 million will be granted from the IPA funds in form of investments.

The Western Balkan countries need to adopt a common transport policy, Hahn said, adding that the European funds are limited and every euro will have to be spent shrewdly.

He said that the EU will help the regional countries to successfully realize these projects and continue to help them in the implementation of the reforms.