Belgrade, 7 June 2023 (MIA) – Road freight transport between Serbia and North Macedonia carried out to or from third countries by environmentally friendly vehicles will be liberalized as of August 1, Serbian Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Goran Vesić said Wednesday.

According to the press release of the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, this had been agreed at the meeting of the Joint Serbian-Macedonian Commission for International Road Passenger and Freight Transport, which was held on June 5-6 in Ohrid.

“It was agreed that the freight transport ‘to and from third countries’, which is carried out by environmentally friendly vehicles – vehicles of the category ‘green vehicle’ and above (Euro 2, Euro 3, Euro 4, Euro 5, Euro EEV and Euro 6) is exempted from permit regime, i.e. to be liberalized starting from 1 August 2023. Bilateral freight transport and transit freight transportation is also liberalized,” Vesić said.

Vesić said that a symbolic number of permits will remain, less than a hundred, on both sides for transporters with non-environmental engines, i.e. Euro 0 diesel engines.

He also underlined that a great success has been achieved in terms of the international road passenger transport, because it has been agreed that, the alternative passenger transport will be conducted without permits as of 15 June 2023.

Vesić said that the negotiations were successful and thanked his Macedonian colleague Blagoj Bochvarski for the joint work.

The agreement between the two parties was reached based on the Open Balkans Initiative and the goals established by the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation on Facilitating Import, Export and Movement of Goods in the Western Balkans.

"The agreement will contribute to the further removal of administrative barriers, which will strengthen the economies of both countries, and the movement of people and goods in the region of the Western Balkans will be facilitated for the economy and citizens," reads the press release.

Photo: print screen Serbian Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure