Kumanovo, 10 October 2024 (МIA) -- Summer congestion at the border with Serbia can be eased, according to the interior ministers of North Macedonia and of Serbia, Panche Toshkovski and Ivica Dacic, after their meeting at the Kumanovo Police Department. The ministers also said the One-Stop-Border system would be operational by next summer, MIA's Kumanovo correspondent reports.

In describing the problem, Toshkovski said he would be "brutally honest."

"It is our fault, like everything else. It is our fault for them not introducing the One-Stop system with the Republic of Albania, with Kosovo, with the Republic of Serbia. It is Macedoinia's fault. In this case, too, we signed an agreement in 2019. Serbia has been fully ready, having a technical solution and everything, while we were sleeping," the interior minister said.

"But this is over now. We have the energy, we have the knowledge, and we have the support of our international friends and neighbors.

"As I have said many times before, by the start of next summer we will really implement the One-Stop system with Albania, Kosovo, and Serbia as well."

This would ease border congestion, according to Serbia's interior minister Dacic.

"We merely have to technically solve this problem and simplify this procedure as much as possible," Dacic said.

At their meeting, Toshkovski and Dacic also discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation in dealing with migration, joint border patrols, support in the fight against terrorism and crime, drug trafficking and real-time intelligence exchange. 

Previously, the two interior ministers met in Belgrade and at the Tabanovce - Preshevo border crossing. mr/