Five days after enlargement commissioner Marta Kos said European Union funding earmarked for Serbia had been cancelled, citing alleged ‘backsliding’ in judicial reforms, the European Commission on Monday denied that it had halted the funding. Speaking in Switzerland on April 30th, Kos said the EU had stopped disbursements under the bloc’s Growth Plan, a cash-for-reform scheme for Western Balkan candidates, warning that financial support would remain suspended until issues in the judiciary were addressed.
However, on Monday, Commission spokesman Markus Lammert said “no decision” had been taken to freeze funds, adding that compliance with conditions for the funding is under continuous review. Responding to the apparent contradiction, Lammert said he did not have Kos’ “exact words at hand” but reiterated that no freeze had been approved. When asked by Euractiv, Kos’ cabinet declined to clarify, referring inquiries to the Commission’s spokesperson service, which reports to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Serbia, an EU candidate since 2012, has seen its accession process stall amid concerns over rule-of-law reforms, media freedom, and relations with Kosovo. Kos had previously indicated that funding could be reassessed, telling members of the European Parliament in April that the Commission was evaluating whether Serbia still meets the criteria for financial support, while maintaining that the EU remains committed to the country’s membership path if reform benchmarks are met.
