The European Union High Representative for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Olivér Várhelyi presented the Western Balkans’ foreign and European integration ministers in a video-conference the European Commission (EC) Communication created to help the region solve the COVID-19 consequences and restore its economies, the Beta news agency reported on Thursday.

The document will be an essential part of the EU-Western Balkans Summit scheduled for May 6 in Zagreb, Serbia’s Ministry for European Integration said in a statement.

It is also said that the EU will continue to allocate significant amounts besides the current financial package of aid to the region and that the bloc’s focus will be on economic development and investment plan to be presented in autumn.

Besides loans, the plan includes higher grants, especially for infrastructure projects for trans-European networks in energy, transport, digital system and green agenda.

Jadranka Joksimovic, Serbia’s Minister of European Integration, who took part in the conference, said that the current crisis was ‘a moment of truth’ for both the EU and the region, adding that the test of partnership’s solidarity and credibility was, ‘globally speaking,’ passed.

She said she expected the EU would use the forthcoming Summit to send a clear political message of support to the region, but also to value the achieved progress and confirm the region’s European future.