Tuesday’s conference meeting of Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister AleksandarNikoloski, Minister of Interior PancheToshkovski and Deputy Minister of European Affairs ViktorijaTrajkov with representatives of the European Commission, including ValentinaSuperti, Director for the Western Balkans at the Directorate General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighborhood (DG ENEST), focused on long-term solutions for the problems that transporters are facing in the Schengen zone.
Nikoloski welcomed the EC initiative to resolve the issue and, through argumentative facts, emphasized the Government’s position, which seeks an appropriate solution for these categories of workers due to the need to perform work obligations within the Schengen zone countries.
In anticipation of a permanent solution, Nikoloski added that it’s necessary for the European Commission to realistically identify the problem with the transport sector and the uninterrupted flow of transport and to implement appropriate measures as soon as possible that will ensure predictability and uninterrupted operation of transport companies operating in international road traffic.
Representatives of the European Commission confirmed the new EU visa strategy in which transporters are accepted as professionals and it was emphasized that they are considering the possibility of this category of workers being treated the same as pilots and train drivers.
It was confirmed at the meeting that biometric records through the electronic system for entry and exit from/to the Schengen zone countries, instead of April, will be postponed until September, 2026.
In the meantime, a working group at expert level is being formed, which should meet next week and materialize the conclusions of today’s high-level meeting.
