In a major push to bolster economic resilience in the Western Balkans, the EU has greenlit a €60 million guarantee aimed at unlocking favourable loans for small businesses in North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro.
Under the “Western Balkans Guarantee for SME Resilience” initiative, the funding—part of a wider EU strategy for regional reform and growth—aims to trigger up to €60 million in fresh lending, supporting 375 companies and safeguarding nearly 5,800 jobs.
Coordinated by Croatia’s Erste & Steiermärkische Bank and backed by the European Investment Fund (EIF), the programme slashes barriers to finance with lower interest rates and reduced collateral demands.
With EIF already unlocking €886 million in credit across the region since 2022, this latest tranche reaffirms Brussels’ vision of a competitive, job-rich future for the Balkans—bringing EU accession hopes one step closer through concrete economic support.
