The European Union will deliver €2.5 billion in support of Eastern partners in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic – EU Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi said during a joint debate on the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership at the European Parliament plenary session.

Olivér Várhelyi emphasized about the commitments of EU towards the Eastern Partnership and its future.

“Our aim is to build – together with partner countries – an ambitious, flexible and inclusive partnership that continues to bring concrete results to people.

In this context, I am proud that the EU is delivering close to €2.5 billion in support for our Eastern partners in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to grants, this includes very substantial macro-financial assistance in loans on highly favourable terms to help the countries cover their immediate and urgent financing needs and strengthen their macroeconomic stability. This package also helps to save jobs as part of the economic recovery in the region, by providing liquidity to the whole economy and by direct financial support to SMEs.

This crisis has further underlined how important resilience is as the overarching framework for our relations, and it will be at the heart of the Eastern Partnership going forward,” Olivér Várhelyi claimed.