July brought heavy pressure to the southern border crossing points, where according to official figures more than 304,000 travelers and tens of thousands of vehicles were processed. However, behind the optimistic seasonal tally, the usual problems reappeared on the ground: delays, system outages and long queues at the border.
July figures at three main crossing points
The highest volume of movement was recorded at Kakavija, Qafë Botë and the Ferry Terminal at the Port of Saranda. According to the published data, more than 304,000 passengers and tens of thousands of vehicles were processed at these points during July alone.
At the Kakavija Border Crossing Point, more than 166,000 passengers and around 47,000 vehicles were recorded. Meanwhile, at Qafë Botë and the Port of Saranda, 138,189 passengers and more than 38,000 vehicles were processed.
Official version says the flow was handled
According to the official version, the Albanian side handled the flow without major problems, linking this to the organization of services during the summer season.
But behind this administrative picture, the data themselves show that the increased movement also brought concrete difficulties for travelers, especially at points where capacity and processing speed were not the same throughout the period.
System outages were reported at Qafë Botë
Several system outages were recorded at the Qafë Botë Border Crossing Point, causing temporary delays in the processing of travelers.
Even when reported as isolated episodes, such disruptions at the height of the season expose weaknesses in the infrastructure and directly affect waiting times for citizens.
Kakavija, the crossing point with the longest queues
At Kakavija, the main concern during the season was the way operations were handled by the Greek side. According to the reported data, often only two counters were in use, creating long lines and hours-long waits for travelers.
This has turned one of the busiest crossing points on the border with Greece into a constant source of complaints, especially on the days with the highest traffic.
August is expected to increase pressure further
The month of August is expected to bring the peak of movement, with the return of thousands of emigrants for their summer holidays. This is expected to significantly increase traffic at all southern border crossing points.
If processing speed remains the same and technical problems are repeated, pressure on the border points could once again translate into long delays for citizens.
July’s tally shows a strong increase in movement in the south, but also the limits of a system that at the height of the season continues to be tested by traffic, technical faults and slow processing speed.
For travelers, record figures matter only if they are accompanied by faster crossings and fewer hours of waiting at the border.