Financing of about EUR 2.4bn will be announced on Thursday for 27 infrastructure projects to improve transport links and deepen economic integration among the nations of south-eastern Europe in a new support package for the Balkans. Officials of the European Investment Bank said the European Union's long-term financing arm would provide about EUR 700m, or about 30%, for 13 projects. About half the financing will take the form of loans from the large multilateral lending institutions, with the rest including soft loans and grants. Romania and Bulgaria will be among the biggest recipients with about EUR 535m and EUR 400m respectively.