On Monday, July 31, an agreement between Albania and North Macedonia officially came into effect, aiming to facilitate joint control at border crossing points between the two nations.
At the Qafë Thanë border point in southeastern Albania, there will be a single checkpoint, streamlining the movement of people and goods.
Both Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and his Macedonian counterpart Dimitar Kovačevski, visited the Qafë Thanë border point to introduce the “One Stop Shop” initiative between their countries.
The leaders hailed the benefits of improved mobility for citizens and trade, attributing the positive changes to the “Open Balkans” initiative.
Macedonian Prime Minister Dimitar Kovačevski emphasized that Albania and North Macedonia exemplify how neighboring states should behave and expressed the vision of a borderless Balkans.
“The initiative supports the operations of 11 Macedonian export companies, enhancing access to Albanian ports and tourist destinations in both nations. The ‘Open Balkans’ initiative has led to a 40% increase in trade with Albania and a 50% rise with Serbia,” said Kovačevski.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama stressed that the initiative should further progress towards enabling free movement and implementing random vehicle checks.
“I hope that the Interior Ministries of both countries would advance cooperation during peak seasons and beyond, facilitating crossings without extensive controls and resorting to occasional random vehicle inspections for improved efficiency,” Rama declared.
Both leaders underscored the significance of the “Open Balkans” initiative, which aims to eventually unify customs regulations, without having to wait for the European Union’s intervention.
The decision to implement joint border control in Qafë Thanë was approved during a joint meeting of the two governments on November 14, 2022.
This pivotal meeting witnessed the signing of 21 agreements and memorandums, solidifying cooperation between Albania and North Macedonia in various sectors, including security, tourism, trade, and electric energy.
