 The new border crossing will be built near Trebeniste, Albania. |
Macedonia and Albania will build a new border crossing at Trebiste-Dzepiste to improve mutual communication, trust and boost their economies in a move lauded by officials and citizens in both countries.
“The opening of the border crossing will make easier the movement of citizens from both sides of the border and will strengthen controls over people and vehicles that cross it,” the Albanian government said in a statement.
The idea was pushed by Macedonia Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski during his meeting with counterpart Sali Berisha in Tirana last November.
Gruevski and Berisha signed an agreement in 2008 to open a new border crossing but it could not be implemented due to technical difficulties. A new agreement was signed last November.
“The government will ratify the decision at the next parliament session. The agreement then will be sent for approval to the Macedonian parliament after which working groups and committees from both sides will begin work to open the new border crossing,” said Alexander Gjorgjiev, spokesman for the Macedonian government.
Albania also decided to open two new border crossings with Montenegro, while Macedonia will open three new border crossings with Serbia and Kosovo.
Inhabitants of the Trebiste municipality in Albania and the adjacent Dzepiste municipality in Macedonia have asked for a border crossing for more than 20 years.
They said people had to travel 70 kilometres to the nearest border crossing at Blato to be able to visit relatives and friends or conduct business across a border that was 4 kilometres away.
“The crossing will particularly benefit the 10,000 locals and will stop the migration process from this region due to the bad economic situation and poor infrastructure. Little has been invested in the past 20 years in this part of Albania where a large number of ethnic Macedonians live. The closest city is Peskopeja, 80 kilometres away, and there is no asphalted road to get there,” said Vasil Sterјovski, vice president of the Macedonian Party for European Integration in Albania.
Most importantly, local leaders said the crossing will enable local businesses development and cross-border trade, especially among the small towns and villages near the border.
“To that end, an agreement should be made between the two countries’ police and customs, given that a joint facility is planned where the required control of goods will be conducted,” Sterjovski added.
Some also point out having a border crossing will substantially reduce the number of illegal crossings.
“Control of what is going on at the border will improve and there will not be illegal crossings through the mountain. We can visit our relatives and friends and can go shopping in Macedonia, and, why not, even send our children to school there,” Ilber Kadriu, a resident of Trebiste
