EU announces €171m for Western Balkans, including Durrës–Tirana rail

€91.8 million for infrastructure is meant to trigger €263 million of investment across seven projects, including the electrification of the Durrës–Tirana railway; €76.3 million goes to private-sector programmes and €2.9 million to technical assistance.

On 27 Jan 2026 the European Commission announced a €171 million package for the Western Balkans, funded from IPA III, contributions from bilateral donors to the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) and the Reform and Growth Facility. €91.8 million is earmarked for infrastructure and is meant to trigger €263 million of investment across seven projects, including broadband in Albania, the electricity transmission system in North Macedonia, educational buildings in Montenegro and North Macedonia, a drinking water and wastewater project in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the electrification of the Durrës–Tirana railway in Albania; a further €2.9 million goes to technical assistance and €76.3 million to private-sector programmes. The projects are to be delivered with international financial institutions once the necessary agreements with partners and beneficiaries have been concluded. (LOK Report, 27 Jan 2026)