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"One stop, one check"/ Balluku: The project will stimulate regional economic development

2023-07-31 13:18:00, Aktualitet CNA

"One stop, one check"/ Balluku: The project will stimulate regional

Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku spoke about the joint project with North Macedonia, "One stop, one control".

Balluku stated that this is a project that will have a significant impact on facilitating movement on both sides of the border, as well as stimulate regional economic development.

Belinda Balluk's statement

What has always troubled Albanians over the years has been isolation. An isolation, which to this day still has its negative effects, whether these are social or economic consequences. Therefore, one of the main priorities of the "Rama" Government, starting from 2013, has undoubtedly been the facilitation of all border procedures in order to facilitate the passage of citizens and especially trade and goods.

This project is another proof of the will and goodwill that exists between the two governments. Of the will and the good desire that we have to cooperate with each other at every level, starting from the administrative levels and up to the highest political levels, and undoubtedly the relationship between Albania and North Macedonia has already become a model for to be followed for all those countries that wish to advance regional development.

We already have a very good experience of the operation of common border points, as it is in the case of Muriqani, or as it is in the case of Morina with Kosovo. So these two models have led us to come today to this new common point where Albanian citizens, those of North Macedonia, but also the many visitors, who are increasing every day between our two countries, will have the opportunity to a comfortable movement.

The project that we inaugurated today also aims to improve the infrastructure and simplify control procedures through a "one stop shop" or "one stop - one control" system.

In the framework of the "Trade and Transport Facilitation in the Western Balkans" Project of the World Bank, the design and supervision of the infrastructure and the improvement of the equipment have been carried out in coordination with the North Macedonian counterparts.

All the requirements and needs of the beneficiary institutions operating at the Qafe Thana Customs Point have been taken into consideration and permanent consultations have been carried out between the General Directorate of Customs, the Qafe Thane Customs Branch and the Albanian and North Macedonian designers for the project detailed and Infrastructure Supervision at this point.

I am convinced that this project will have a significant impact on facilitating movement on both sides of the border, and will definitely stimulate regional economic development.

We have to keep in mind that for a long time we have started a big joint project, the VIII Corridor development project, a dream of the Albanians of Albania and all the citizens of North Macedonia, which is no longer just a project on paper . From the Albanian side, it has been started for a long time and we are in the second lot and we hope that within the year 2024 the first two lots from Elbasan to Qafë-Thanë will be handed over in order to open during September of this year two new lots, the 3rd and 4th that will to come to the connection point. Also, on the part of North Macedonia, there has been an extraordinary progress regarding this corridor.

However, Corridor VIII does not consist only of highways, which are very liked by us Albanians to tell the truth, but the aim is that in the future we manage to build a model railway network, which is friendly to the environment on all and undoubtedly with the pocket of every citizen, since the costs of rail transport are much lower than the costs of road transport by vehicles.

We have been working for a long time with Artan and his whole group regarding the coordination of the VIII Corridor project, as we think that Albania and North Macedonia for all the homework they have done successfully and very meticulously deserve attention of the European Union and deserve to have the financial support to set up this VIII Corridor which will unite Italy, Albania, North Macedonia and Bulgaria. A Corridor, not just transport and infrastructure, but a security corridor, which was strongly tested during 2022, showing that no one is immune from wars or extraordinary events, regardless of the distance where they take place.

So we all together today find the opportunity to engage once again by showing that this seemingly small but very important project is one of the products of our fruitful cooperation between our two governments and administrations, so we are sure that all other projects, such as the strategic Corridor VIII will be successful./ CNA