The focus is on infrastructure
ADVERTISEMENTFigures suggest the region of the Western Balkans has a low level of economic development.
One of the reasons for this slow development is the poor quality of the transport infrastructure.
Ivica is a lorry driver who has done hundreds of thousands kilometres along European roads.
"Our roads, on a scale from 1 to 5 are at 1, so awful. In Europe, the so-called called common or national roads are better than our roads full of holes."
Along the route we met a group of French cyclists enjoying the Balkan scenery.
They also notice the difference in quality on the roads.
“There are some dangerous situations on the roads. There is no space for overtaking or passing. The tunnels are not lit but we manage by driving along the more minor roads," said one of the group, Guillaume.
Border
Along with the poor quality of the roads, the custom border barriers are also a problem.
"Waiting 5, 6 or, 7 or 8 hours to cross 500 metres of border is illogical. It takes the same time for 400 or 500 m on foot," said Ivica.
Safety is also a problem. The ongoing migrant crisis makes the lorry drivers an easy goal for trafficking.
"Colleagues have been fined 2000 or 3000 euros although it is not their fault. One man stopped and waited in a queue right at the border, migrants got in his lorry and he got fined by the Croats. It is illogical. It is not his fault."
Due to these problems the transporters from the region do not menage to be competitive on European market.
All these problems that we have in Macedonia, reflecting the transport infrastructure as well as the other infrastructural issues for Macedonian bussiness directly impact on the costs for haulage firms and mean they cannot be competitive at a European level," Biljana Muratovska, Federation of Transport
One of the essential missions of European Integrations is to provide efficient flow of people, goods and ideas. The greatest challenge for the realization of this mission would be improvement of the road infrastructure in Macedonia.