Markova Foot – Lemos will reduce travel time from Resen to Greek Prespa for 40 minutes

From about two hours as much as it is now necessary to reach Resen to the Greek municipality of Prespa, with the new Markova Leg – Lemos border crossing, the construction of which officially began on both sides of the border, the travel time will be reduced to 40 minutes, MIA correspondent in Athens reported.

Works in the Borpress2 project on the Macedonian side officially began in March, while yesterday in the municipality of Prespa, the start of the Greek side, with the event « Prespa Lake Border Station: Establishing a border crossing between Greece and the Republic of Northern Macedonia on the Prespa Lake, » Rokas, as well as representatives of local governments.

Due to yesterday’s 24-hour strike by journalists in Greece, Greek media, primarily those from the northern part of the country, announced today about the start of Prespa.

The Macedonian delegation, along with Ambassador Rokas, crossed the border on foot and arrived at the Prespa event.

The EU ambassador said in a statement to local media that it is an important, historic day, but also that it is an honor for him to be the first to cross the border.

– This is an EU -funded program and we hope that, above all, we will promote the communication of the peoples, but also to protect Prespa, the lake that is the World Heritage in Biodiversity. I believe it will help in tourism, in communications, it will help trade exchanges and I am really happy to be the first to cross the border. I hope that in a year and a half to two we will make it officially – Rokas told Lerin’s Ihos newspaper.

Greece’s Interior Minister Theodoros Livanios told the same newspaper that it was a very important project for the Prespa economy.

« During the year the performers will start work and I hope within two years the project will be completed and handed over to Prespa residents, but also to visitors to enjoy the beauties of the area, » Livanios said.

He added that this is not an easy project, because, as he explained, many environmental parameters for environmental protection should have been taken into account.

His Macedonian counterpart, Minister Pance Toskovski, pointed out that « this is not just the beginning of an infrastructure project, but to realize a common vision – a vision rooted in regional cooperation, European integration and the lasting partnership between our two countries ».

– The power of Europe lies in its unity and in the bridges we build across the borders – and not in the walls we raise among us. Through the Borpress2 project, we turn that goal into a practical, measurable impact. This project is proof that European integration is not a distant aspiration – it is a living process, rooted in tangible results: better roads, safe boundaries and improved quality of life for the citizens we serve – emphasized Toskovski, who also had a bilateral meeting with Greek Minister Theodoros Livanios on the sidelines of the event and a bilateral meeting with Greek Minister Theodoros Livani The Bogorodica – Evzoni passage.

Borpress2 project worth over 7.7m euros, 80 % funded through IPA 3 The European Union program is planned to renovate the existing Macedonian police station, construction of a new building for customs and police control by Greece and the development of the cross-border pedestrian trail between the villages of Brajcino and Agios German.

The project partners are the interior ministries of the two countries, the Greek region of Western Macedonia and the municipalities of Resen and Prespa.

The purpose of Borpress2 is to fully operational functioning of the crossing, in accordance with Schengen standards, strengthening the connection, security and regional development in the Prespa region.

The project began on February 14, 2025 and is planned to last 36 months, with the completion of February 13, 2028.

The Markova Leg-Logos border crossing, which has been operating for decades, facilitating communication between the residents of the two border was closed in May 1967 during the junta in Greece, and the reopening was a continuous demand of the local population.