Skopje, 7 July 2023 (MIA) – North Macedonia took over the chairpersonship of the Transport Community from Montenegro on Friday. In the coming year, the country will host activities and events that will contribute to the harmonization of the transport policies of the Western Balkan countries and the European Union, said the Ministry of Transport and Communications in a press release.

According to the Ministry, at the handover ceremony, Minister of Transport and Communications Blagoj Bochvarski, and the Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro and Minister of Capital Investments Ervin Ibrahimović, stressed the role of the Secretariat of the Transport Community in the Euro-integration processes of the Western Balkan countries.

“The results of Montenegro’s chairpersonship are evident, especially the conclusion of the process of revision of the transport networks in the Western Balkans, as a result of which our Corridor VIII became a part of the network of the main, trans-European corridors. During our chairpersonship with the Transport Community we will continue with activities that are important for the entire region, including the activities for connectivity reforms, and activities boosting regional cooperation,” said Transport Minister Bochvarski.

Bochvarski said he believes that in the long-term the Transport Community will contribute to improved efficiency, reduced expenses and a better quality of services for transport users, through the opening of markets and boosting competition.

The Montenegrin Deputy PM, Ervin Ibrahimović, said that Montenegro’s chairpersonship of the Transport Community was fruitful and full of challenges.

“We realized numerous activities and can confirm that we had a successful year. On the other hand, there were a lot of challenges from a geopolitical aspect, so I am especially glad that during Montenegro’s chairpersonship we got closer to Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova, and I firmly believe that with their engagement we will add new quality to our work because it will enable additional exchange of knowledge and experiences. This is the message Montenegro wants to send – joint cooperation on the path to development,” said Ibrahimović.

The Director of the Transport Community, Matej Zakonjsek, said that during North Macedonia’s chairpersonship of the Community, the cooperation on a regional level and with the EU is expected to continue with the same intensity.

“North Macedonia, as a country through which two main transport corridors pass, Corridor VIII and Corridor X, has great potential to become the main transport junction in the region. The ultimate goal remains the complete integration of the Western Balkan transport sector within the EU transport market,” said Zakonjsek.

Photo: Ministry of Transport and Communications