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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia, Bulgaria firmly committed to Europe

Belgrade/Dimitrovgrad, 15 April 2005

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said today upon the signing of the Agreement on border procedures and control in railway transport between Serbia-Montenegro and Bulgaria that this document will additionally improve good relations between these two friendly states and nations. Through acceleration of the customs procedure at the Dimitrovgrad railway station and equal application of that procedure to both countries, the agreement sets the best example of the firm European commitment of Serbia and Bulgaria.

Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Nikolai Vassilev, left, and Serbian Minister of Capital Investment Velimir Ilic after signing the Agreement

The Agreement was signed in Dimitrovgrad by Serbian Minister of Capital Investment Velimir Ilic and Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Nikolai Vassilev.

Kostunica said that the signing of this Agreement will open the state union of Serbia-Montenegro even more, in the best possible European meaning of that word.

He said that at the moment when Serbia-Montenegro has made the first step towards the European Union by obtaining the positive assessment of the feasibility study, the opening of this modern railway station is more proof that that recognition is deserved.

According to Kostunica, Bulgaria, which is very close to EU accession, and the state union of Serbia-Montenegro have shown with this example that borders can be opened in southeastern Europe and that European borders can be created in this area.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe Cobourg-Gotha welcomed the signing of the Agreement and said that its implementation will additionally boost progress in both countries.

Minister Ilic pointed out that the new organisation of this railway station and linkage will cut three hours off the transport time between Bulgaria and Serbia, and that this is the first such method of reorganisation in this part of Europe. The railway station in Dimitrovgrad will consist of a single border crossing between Serbia and Bulgaria, at which police and customs services will work in consort.

Bulgarian Minister of Transport and Communications Nikolai Vassilev said that this is the first time in the history of southeastern Europe that two states have a single railway station at a border crossing and in Dimitrovgrad this means that four checkpoints will be reduced to a single joint railway station.