S.Amdt. 3758

The amendment, known as the Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act, aims to add a new subtitle (Subtitle F) to the end of title XII of bill S. 2296. Its purpose is to strengthen the stability, democracy, and economic growth of the Western Balkans region, which includes Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

The amendment seeks to add the following to the bill:

• Economic and Democratic Support: It directs the U.S. to encourage business investment, support regional economic integration (especially for women and youth), and help these countries transition away from Russian energy sources.

• Governance and Security: It establishes initiatives to combat corruption, improve cyber resilience, and counter disinformation. It also expresses support for the accession of eligible countries into the European Union and NATO.

• Sanctions: It codifies existing executive orders related to sanctions in the Western Balkans, ensuring they remain in effect while providing specific rules for their termination or waiver.

• Special Initiatives: It authorizes several targeted programs:

  • An Anti-corruption Initiative to provide technical assistance and training.
  • A Regional Economic Connectivity and Development Initiative to promote private sector growth and infrastructure projects.
  • University Partnerships and the Young Balkan Leaders Initiative to foster educational and professional exchanges.

• Foreign Influence and Diplomacy: It requires reports on malign influence campaigns from Russia and China and sets a U.S. policy against redrawing borders along ethnic lines in the region. It also encourages the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.