Assistant Director in the Department for Border Affairs and Migration
Ivona Stefanovska
HISTORY
After the independence of the Republic of North Macedonia, the protection of the state border was carried out by a special border unit of the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia. Considering the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of our country, it was necessary to abandon the previous system of border protection and implement the European system of Integrated Border Management. For this purpose, in October 2003, the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia adopted the National Strategy for Integrated Border Management.
The implementation of the national strategy began on May 7, 2004, when the supervision of borders between border crossings, i.e., the so-called green line and blue line on lakes, and the control of crossing the state border towards the Republic of Greece was taken over by the Ministry of Internal Affairs - Border Police. This was followed by a phased takeover of responsibilities as follows:
-
On September 1, 2004, towards the Republic of Bulgaria,
-
On December 20, 2004, towards then Serbia and Montenegro, and
-
On August 29, 2005, towards the Republic of Albania.
With the takeover of responsibilities by the Border Police, the upgrading of the Integrated Border Management system began by restructuring personnel, administrative, and material capacities according to the standards of the European Union relating to border checks and border supervision.
With the restructuring, a completely new process of training for all personnel began, procurement of new modern technical systems and means for conducting border checks and border supervision.
For this purpose, police officers from all levels were sent for education to EU training centers, new optical-electronic devices, field vehicles, fast boats for monitoring lake waters, and other equipment were introduced.
With the establishment of the Border Police at all levels: strategic, operational, and local, as well as the involvement of other ministries and agencies in the Integrated Border Management system, the Republic of Macedonia gained a modern national security segment capable of responding to all challenges related to the border security of the Republic of North Macedonia, as well as security and combating cross-border crime with countries in the region and the European Union.
Organizational Structure and Responsibilities
The Sector for Border Affairs and Migration is a separate organizational unit within the Bureau of Public Security under the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), which has the following responsibilities:
-
Continuous improvement of methodologies for managing border security, combating cross-border crime, international and interagency cooperation with other entities within the Integrated Border Management System;
-
Participation in resolving cross-border disputes with neighboring countries;
-
Participation in the development and upgrading of concepts for implementing the visa regime of the Republic of North Macedonia with other countries;
-
Developing concepts for prevention in border affairs in partnership with the community and citizens;
-
Coordinating activities with international organizations and agencies to implement operational plans and actions against cross-border crime;
-
Building a unified training system compatible with the EU training concept through the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX);
-
Establishing administrative, personnel, and material capacities for regulating the stay of foreigners, readmission, and reception of foreigners in a special Reception Center;
-
Building a system of national interagency cooperation in the field of border affairs;
-
Conducting threat analyses to national security and risk assessments that may affect border security;
-
Upgrading the system for border checks and border surveillance according to the standards of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency – FRONTEX.
At the strategic level, a Mobile Unit for Suppression of Cross-border Crime and Compensatory Measures operates with the following tasks:
-
Covering the border of the Republic of North Macedonia with mobile teams acting from the border line into the interior of the territory;
-
Performing compensatory measures in-depth to combat cross-border crime;
-
Addressing other types of crime.
Regional Border Affairs Centers are a separate organizational form within the Bureau of Public Security – MIA. Their jurisdiction is geographically divided according to the borders with neighboring countries:
-
Regional Border Affairs Center – North, covering the borders with the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia;
-
Regional Border Affairs Center – East, covering the borders with the Republic of Bulgaria and part of Belasica towards the Republic of Greece;
-
Regional Border Affairs Center – South, covering the borders with the Republic of Greece, including the waters of Lake Prespa;
-
Regional Border Affairs Center – West, covering the borders with the Republic of Albania.
The regional centers coordinate measures and activities with local border units within their jurisdiction and among other regional centers, especially regarding transitional border management issues between different borders.
Additionally, special Police Stations for border checks and border surveillance are organizationally established for:
Border checks at:
-
16 border crossings intended for road traffic;
-
3 border crossings intended for railway traffic;
-
2 border crossings intended for air traffic.
Police stations perform combined tasks of border checks and border surveillance between border crossings, i.e., on the so-called green line and blue line on lakes. Some police stations are exclusively responsible for border surveillance of the green and blue border lines on lakes.
At the local level, a system of coordinated and combined mixed patrols has been established together with the neighboring border services of: the Republic of Kosovo, the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of Bulgaria, and the Republic of Albania.
For more successful data exchange on cross-border crime with countries where these patrols exist, Joint Contact Offices operate at border crossings: Tabanovce towards the Republic of Serbia, Deve Bair towards the Republic of Bulgaria, and Qafasan towards the Republic of Albania.
The total length of the state border of the Republic of North Macedonia with neighboring countries – Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Kosovo – is 897,483 meters.
There are 16 border crossings for road traffic, three for railway traffic, and two for air traffic (see attached table).
Individually, the length of the state border with neighboring countries is:
-
With the Republic of Kosovo – 179,661 meters;
-
With the Republic of Serbia – 102,492 meters;
-
With the Republic of Bulgaria – 172,846 meters;
-
With the Republic of Greece – 256,392 meters;
-
With the Republic of Albania – 186,092 meters.