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PMs of Montenegro and BiH Duško Marković and Zoran Tegeltija and EU Ambassador to Montenegro Oana Cristina Popa open joint border crossing Vraćenovići - Deleuša

Published on: Oct 20, 2020 • 11:21 PM Author: PR Service
Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zoran Tegeltija and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro Oana Cristina Popa opened today the joint road border crossing Vraćenovići - Deleuša on the road route Nikšić - Bileća, built four months before the deadline. The officials assessed that the functioning of joint border crossings will facilitate and accelerate the movement of passengers and goods, achieve significant savings and strengthen relations between the two countries. 

"The joint road crossing with Albania, Sukobin - Muriqan, opened in 2009, has long been the only one of its kind in the region. It served as an example and a path, which other neighbours followed. That is why today, by opening the joint crossing Vraćenovići - Deleuša, we proudly announce the continuation of this cooperation. Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina will build joint crossings Šćepan Polje - Hum, on the road route Plužine - Foča; Zupci - Sitnica on the road route Herceg Novi - Trebinje and Ilino Brdo - Klobuk on the road route Nikšić – Trebinje," PM Marković said.

Tegeltija: One in a series of joint projects between Montenegro and BiH

Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zoran Tegeltija said that this was another in a series of joint projects of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro with the European Union.

"I am sure that this is not the last and that even larger successfully realized joint projects will follow in the coming years. I would first like to address the border police officers of Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina and the customs officers of BiH and the customs officers of Montenegro. For more than 20 years, you have been enabling the unhindered movement of people and goods in this area, enabling our economies to cooperate, enabling our citizens to communicate with each other. Your work in the past 20 years has taken place in inhumane and poor conditions. But that didn’t stop you from doing the job successfully. Consider this facility a kind of gratitude for what you have done," the Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers said.

Popa: EU investments bring concrete benefits

Head of Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro Oana Cristina Popa reminded that the EU supported Montenegro with 20 million Euros to make its borders safer and more efficient, as outlined in the country’s national integrated border management strategy. "We contributed with 2 million Euros towards construction of the border crossing Vraćenovići-Deleuša. …Improving inter-connectivity in this region is a big priority for the EU. The European Commission recently presented the new Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans. We will mobilise up to 9 billion Euros of funding for investments in the areas of transport, energy, green and digital transition, to create sustainable growth and jobs. EU investments bring concrete benefits only if they are followed by thorough reforms, as good governance is the foundation for sustainable economic growth and new jobs," Ambassador Popa said.

Marković: As of today, our citizens and guests will travel more comfortably

Thanking the European Union for the donation, Prime Minister Marković pointed out that European integration and regional cooperation are not only political roadmaps, but also concrete projects and the results that result from that.

"That is why this border crossing is our joint contribution to European commitments and European standards. Through the concept of integrated border management, the fight against organised crime, illegal migration, drug trafficking and arms trafficking will be even stronger and more effective. As of today, the citizens of Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and our joint guests, will travel more comfortably. By faster control and simplification of border checks, faster and easier flow of goods, our two countries reduce both waiting time and unnecessary costs. Modern border infrastructure, modern technology and procedures at the level of Schengen, lead to further more intensive communication, increase in the volume of trade, but also increase in tourist traffic," the Prime Minister of Montenegro noted.

Joint border crossings contribute to better relations

Prime Ministers Marković and Tegeltija and Ambassador Popa agreed that joint border crossings contribute to strengthening good relations between neighbouring countries and stability in the region.

"In addition to the already stated economic reasons, we built the joint border crossing Vraćenovići - Deleuša with the aim of further strengthening good neighbourly relations, strengthening political cooperation and stability in the region, as future members of the European Union. Believing that our two countries, with special sensibility will preserve this approach in the coming period, I congratulate on the opening of this joint border crossing. … However, we must not view border crossings and the security of our borders apart from the overall economic and infrastructural development, as well as the concrete and generous support of the European Union. That this was the case is best confirmed by over 170 million investment grants and non-refundable technical support, awarded in the previous period through the Western Balkans Investment Framework. And that it will be the same in the future, confirms the positive attitude of the European Commission towards numerous infrastructure projects that we have applied for support, and which were positively assessed in the recently presented Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans," Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković pointed out.

The Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina said that in the coming years, other border crossings of Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina will be as they should be in the 21st century, hoping that one day there will be no need for border crossings. "The obligation of the authorities of both countries to enable better economic cooperation remains. For successful economic cooperation, infrastructure is necessary, border crossings that will enable unhindered movement of people of good will and business people who want to work successfully are necessary, but which will also be an obstacle to illegal trade in people and goods," the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina said.

Ambassador Popa said that effective border management, ensuring smooth and swift movement of persons and goods, is important for building strong partnerships between neighbouring countries in the region and keeping all of us safe. "Remember that one day your borders will be the external border of the EU. This is why the EU will continue supporting you in this area" – the Head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro stressed.

Joint police control, three lanes in each direction plus truck lanes

Director of the Border Commission in the Ministry of the Interior of Montenegro Milan Paunović noted that the joint border crossing has three lanes in each direction plus one lane for trucks in each direction, that there is customs control on each side, and that police control is joint.

"The point is to simplify the procedure of crossing the state border with the principle of one stop. The opportunity here is to fully implement the strategy of integrated border management of both countries through our daily work" – Paunović said.

Construction of the joint border crossing Vraćenovići - Deleuša began on 27 February 2020 after Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina determined the locations of future joint border crossings. According to the agreement, in addition to the joint border crossing Vraćenovići - Deleuša, there will be a border crossing Šćepan Polje - Hum on the road route Plužine - Foča, while in BiH there will be a joint border crossing Zupci - Sitnica, on the road route Trebinje - Herceg Novi and Klobuk - Ilino Brdo on the road route Trebinje - Nikšić.

The ceremony was attended by Minister of the Interior of Montenegro Mevludin Nuhodžić, Director of the Customs Administration of Montenegro Vladan Joković, Montenegrin Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Obrad Stanišić and Montenegro's Chief Negotiator with European Union Aleksandar Drljević.

PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO


VIDEO (address of the Prime Minister and opening): https://youtu.be/Qbjtr6oJNQE

VIDEO (technical explanations): https://youtu.be/OER7Dkrlv9U

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