For around three months, travelers crossing the border between Albania and Greece at the Kristallopigi crossing point, near Kapshtica, have been facing long waiting times both when entering and leaving Albanian territory.

According to reports from the field, the cause of these delays is the implementation of a new identification system by the Greek side. Travelers are often forced to wait more than an hour due to queues formed on both sides of the border.

Albanian authorities have requested from their Greek counterparts the application of accelerated procedures, especially for citizens equipped with Greek documents. However, this request has not been reflected in practice, causing the flow of movement to continue at a slow pace.

Unofficial sources from the border police in the Korça Directorate indicate that one of the factors affecting the delays is also the time required to process each individual. The procedure at the counter can take up to 10 minutes per person, as in addition to checking and stamping documents, photographing and fingerprinting are also required.

Authorities have not yet provided an official response regarding concrete measures to improve the situation.