The European Commission has secured 38 million Euro in immediate support for the Western Balkans as part of efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic, spokeswoman Ana Pisonero said on Monday.

“As part of the global response to the coronavirus outbreak we are preparing to help our partners, EU is mobilising €38 million in immediate support to the Western Balkans and redirecting 374 million to help their socio-economic recovery,” Pisonero wrote on her Twitter account.

A Commisson press release quoted Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissoner Olivér Várhelyi as saying that: “Europe is facing an unprecedented public health crisis, but even in these difficult times we will always be there for our Western Balkan partners, who belong in the EU. We will help our partners to cover their immediate needs for their health systems, as well as promote longer term measures to mitigate the socio-economic impact of the coronavirus crisis and support small and medium sized enterprises in the region.”

The press release added that the Commission is responding to immediate needs at the request of those partners, by supporting the supply of medical devices and personal equipment, such as ventilators, laboratory kits, masks, goggles, gowns, and safety suits.

“The EU will assist Albania and North Macedonia to cover the immediate needs of their public health systems with up to €4 million each, Bosnia and Herzegovina with €7 million, meanwhile Montenegro will receive up to €3 million, Kosovo up to €5 million and up to €15 million will go to Serbia, the most affected country until now,” it added.

The Commission is including the Western Balkans in EU initiatives to tackle the coronavirus crisis such as joint procurement schemes, has accelerated the implementation of a project with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and will redirect funds from the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) to help the recovery in the Western Balkans which includes support to the private sector, increasing social protection, with specific attention to vulnerable groups, and strengthening the public health sector.

The press release specified that the Commission will mobilise up to €46.7 million to support the social and economic recovery of Albania, €73.5 million for Bosnia and Herzegovina, €50 million for Montenegro, whilst North Macedonia will benefit from €62 million, Serbia from €78.4 million and Kosovo will receive up to €63 million.

The Commission has included EU-Western Balkans border-crossings along the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) in its Communication on “Green Lanes” and supports the expanding of the green lanes in the region.