Commentary
International Relations
Think Tank
Western Balkans Futures
Simulating Five Scenarios for the Western Balkans
13 May 2022
While disagreements have proven pervasive on debt sharing, the interests of both the frugal four and the friends of cohesion group find a common ground with regard to an EU ecological transition.
The announcement by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron of a 500 billion euros COVID-19 EU recovery plan has been heralded as monumental and welcomed by Italy and Spain.
The European Commission commended this progress and released its own “Next Generation EU” recovery plan that supplements 500 billion euros in grant money with an additional 250 billion euros in loans.
These recovery proposals, however, have come under criticism from different corners of the EU.