- The investment funds a fibre-optic and network-backbone upgrade across the Western Balkans to boost broadband quality and regional data connectivity.
- Project aims to reduce latency, slash connectivity costs and enable greater access to digital services, research and cloud infrastructure across multiple Balkan countries.
What happened: Western Balkans backs major digital backbone project
European and regional stakeholders have committed €24 million to the Balkan Digital Gateway, a major infrastructure initiative designed to strengthen digital connectivity across the Western Balkans. The funding will support the build-out of an upgraded terrestrial backbone network that links multiple countries across the region, with fibre-optic infrastructure and other digital-connectivity upgrades. This investment forms part of a broader push to integrate the Western Balkans more closely into Europe’s digital fabric. Reports describe the project as key to enabling high-capacity, low-latency broadband across national borders. Parallel undersea cable efforts — such as the EAGLE submarine cable connecting Egypt, Albania and Europe — will work in tandem with the Gateway’s backbone to route traffic between the Balkans and major European data hubs.
The network upgrades are not merely about speed, but about creating a stable, resilient infrastructure backbone that can support cloud services, cross-border digital commerce, research collaboration, and the demands of next-generation applications such as AI and large-scale data analysis.
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Why it’s important
For a region often considered under-connected compared with Western Europe, this investment could be transformative. Better infrastructure could significantly reduce broadband costs and latency, helping businesses, public institutions, and consumers access high-speed internet — a precondition for modern digital economy services, remote work, education and cloud adoption.
The Balkan Digital Gateway could also help bridge the digital divide between the Western Balkans and the rest of Europe, enabling easier participation in pan-European research networks, cross-border e-governance and digital services. The partnership signals confidence from investors and EU stakeholders in the economic potential of the region’s digital future.
Moreover, coupling terrestrial backbone upgrades with submarine-cable links increases redundancy and resilience — crucial for a region exposed to geopolitical volatility or infrastructure vulnerabilities. As Europe doubles down on digital sovereignty and network resilience, the Gateway may serve as a model for how less connected regions can integrate into continental digital infrastructure.
