The EU will allocate close to EUR 1 B for projects on infrastructure improvement in countries of the Western Balkans.

The statement was made by the EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn who is currently visiting Kosovo's capital Pristina.

Serbian Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki and Transportation Minister Mile Janakieski, Kosovo's Infrastructure Minister Lutfi Zharku and other government representatives all attended the meeting.

''Projects in the sectors of infrastructure, transportation and energy are key for the economic development, the attraction of new investments and creation of new employment opportunities,'' noted Hahn.

At the informal meeting of the regional representatives he stated that in 2015 EUR 100 M will be made available through the EU accession funds.

''On April 21 PMs of all Balkan countries will attend a Brussels meeting so that the official approval of other member states can be achieved, '' Hahn added.

The blueprints of the priority infrastructure projects on the development of the Western Balkans will be further announced in Vienna in August 2015.

The commissioner also noted that EU funding is limited and that each and every Euro needs to be carefully spent and accounted for.