Joint Serbian-Macedonian border crossing to open soon

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev had a meeting on Sunday, September 2 in Presevo, on the Presevo-Tabanovce border crossing. They talked about the construction of a joint border crossing. After visiting the border crossing, two state officials announced the beginning of the One Stop Shop project which would involve that the two countries have a joint border control and customs service on the border. The accent was also on the friendly relationship between Serbia and Macedonia with the announcement of the joint session of the two governments to be held by the year's end.

Vucic told the press that a joint border crossing would motivate people to travel through the countries' territories faster and easier which would make both countries more competent.

– It is our wish to do the same with the rest of the countries in the region but so far we have gone farthest in our negotiations with Macedonia. I believe this border crossing will be the first of its kind, Vucic said as Beta reported.

Macedonian PM Zaev pointed out that thanks to the joint border crossing the citizens would only have to cross the Serbian-Macedonian border once in the same spot, Beta reported. He said the project was the example of a great friendship between the two countries and he also thanked the e World bank for heir support.

As Tanjug reported Zaev said that the protocol on project realization would be signed soon on the joint session of the two governments.

He said that over EUR 1 billion was lost every year in the Balkans because of the long wait at the border crossings and that 80% of the time for goods transportation was spent in that wait while only 20% of the time was spent on the road.

To that statement Vucic added that the matter concerned around a million of passengers per year and that the project was significant because a lot was lost during cattle, milk and dairy products transportation on Balkan borders.

– That was one of the key reasons we asked to to establish a free cargo transport on the Balkans because it would bring at least a 7% increase in profits for our economies, Vucic emphasized.

Vlada Republike Srbije

Svetska Banka-WB Beograd

Serbian Government

World Bank

Aleksandar Vucic

Zoran Zaev

Serbian - Macedonian joint border crossing

One stop shop project