Due to the fresh influx of migrants from the Middle East, coming from the direction of the Hellenic Republic, on 20 August 2015, the Government of the Republic of
Macedonia declared a “crisis situation” in the country’s southern and northern border areas. According to the information available from diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Republic of Serbia in the Republic of Macedonia and the Hellenic Republic, this decision did not induce alteration of the transport regime at major traffic routes and border crossing points, except that military and police presence has been intensified. Transport on motorways and at border crossings with the Republic of Macedonia is normal for this time of the year; a small number of Serbian tourists contacted Serbian diplomatic missions and consular posts asking for advice and assistance.

Considering the problem caused by the increased influx of migrants, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia does not recommend its nationals to use Djevdjelija/Idomeni railway border crossing, where there are currently several thousand refugees from the Middle East.

Nationals of the Republic of Serbia intending to travel to the Republic of Macedonia are warned to take precautionary measures and particularly not to take passengers – hitchhikers into their vehicle, as this could be considered, under the Criminal Code of Macedonia, as a criminal act of “smuggling of migrants”, punishable by several years in prison.

For current information and possible assistance, Serbian nationals may contact the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Skopje and the Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Thessaloniki.

Embassy of the Republic of Serbia - Skopje, Tel.: +3892/3129-298, +3892/3131-299, +3892/3128-422, + 3892/3129-305.
Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia - Thessaloniki, Tel.: + 302310/244-265,
+ 302310/244-266, + 302310/244-267.