(ANSA) - BRUXELLES, 21 FEB - EU Commissioner for Enlargement Johannes Hahn announced today a new financial package for energy efficiency and the fight against climate change in the Western Balkans worth 32 million euros. The funding will be added to the ongoing Regional Energy Efficiency Programme of 50 million euros.

The first 30 million are all destined for the 'green' transition to support the region in aligning "as quickly as possible" to the EU environmental standards and the Paris agreement, Hahn explained during the Ministerial meeting on Energy of the six Balkans going on in Podgorica. "In the Western Balkans there is a huge potential" of energy savings, which is estimated at "2.5 billion euros per year", to "make investments and advance in this field", said the Commissioner, encouraging the ministers of the six Countries to use the energy transition to "accelerate" regional cooperation on a larger scale, overcoming "political obstacles and bilateral issues".

Further 2 million euros will support a regional programme dedicated to climate change.(ANSA).