Skopje, 14 August 2026 (MIA) - The Government and the Ministry of Transport are continuing work on solutions for the issues facing Macedonian professional drivers as a result of the introduction of the European Union’s Entry/Exit System, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski told journalists on Friday.

In answer to a journalist’s question over potential protests if a solution is not found by September 1, Nikoloski said the Government maintains regular communication with the associations of professional drivers and efforts are being made to find concrete solutions through bilateral cooperation with members of the Schengen Area. Holding protests, the Deputy PM said, is a political solution of a neighboring country.

“We have regular meetings, if not weekly then biweekly. We have excellent cooperation. This issue is one of the hundreds we are working to resolve. Regarding the issue that arose with the implementation of the European Union’s Entry/Exit System, we are doing our utmost, and the professional drivers have our full support,” Nikoloski said.

The Deputy PM said the issue falls under the competencies of the European Union and the Schengen Area, but, he added, the country is taking steps to overcome the effects by concluding bilateral agreements with individual countries. The country already has such agreements with Croatia, Switzerland, and Romania, while work is underway on agreements with Austria, Hungary, and Germany, he said.

“I expect we will begin negotiations with Slovenia in October and with that all countries where our professional drivers usually work or transit will be covered,” Nikoloski added.

The Deputy Prime Minister noted he does not think protests are the best solution.

“I think it would be more constructive to look for solutions and I don’t think protests are a solution. Of course, they are a last resort, but over the past period we have been able to find solutions, and we will continue doing so,” Nikoloski stressed.

Nikoloski said he has the impression that political motives from the region are behind some of the pressure related to the issue.

“The impression I have is that a neighboring country is exerting pressure over this issue above all due to political reasons. They should resolve their own problems. We have an individual approach, and we will resolve our problems the way we think is best,” the Deputy PM said.

Nikoloski added that he does not think the issues of the countries in the region should be approached collectively under the label “Western Balkans”, stressing that North Macedonia should advocate for its interests independently.

“We must not fall into the trap of approaching issues collectively. There has been an attempt for a long time to present the region as a single entity. In a few weeks we will be celebrating 35 years of independence, and going back would be the worst thing that could happen to the country,” Nikoloski stressed.

Photo: MIA