Kosovo aid pledged at donors' conference in Brussels

Jul 11, 2008, 12:54 GMT

Brussels - The European Commission and the United States on Friday pledged a combined 755 million euros (1.2 billion dollars) in aid to help Kosovo build up its institutions and infrastructures.

Germany vowed to give an additional 100 million euros, and more pledges were expected from other member states of the European Union at a donors' conference in Brussels.

Of the 500 million euros being provided by the commission over the next three years, part of it will be managed by the Kosovo administration and part by the EU executive's office in Pristina. Officials in Brussels have two main concerns: that none of the aid will go to Kosovo's Serbian minority, and that it will not be embezzled by corrupt local officials.

'I can assure you that all donors will monitor progress closely and make every euro given out to Kosovo accounted for and put to good use,' Olli Rehn, the EU's enlargement commissioner, told the conference.

'It is now up to the people and institutions of Kosovo to live up to the expectations they have raised in the eyes of the international community,' he said.

Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci has asked for about 1.4 billion euros to help build the new state, which declared independence from Serbia in February.

'The success of Kosovo will bring peace and stability to the region,' Thaci told the conference.

Kosovo is one of the poorest areas of Europe, and the EU is playing a leading role in helping rebuild its administration and judiciary through EULEX, a European legal mission which will eventually replace the UN mission which has ruled the province since 1999.