The weekend has brought increased pressure at the southern border, where thousands of citizens and vehicles have faced queues and delays at Kakavija and Qafë Botë. Official figures show more than 23,000 crossings at the two main points, while on-the-ground capacity appears to be under pressure from seasonal travel.
More than 11,000 crossings at Kakavija in a single day
According to data from border services, a total of 11,755 citizens were processed for entry and exit at the Kakavija crossing point on August 14.
Of these, 7,618 people entered Albania, while 4,137 left the country. At the same crossing point, 3,459 vehicles were also processed, with 2,259 entering and 1,200 exiting.
Qafë Botë sees queues on both sides of the crossing
Heavy traffic was also reported at Qafë Botë, where queues formed on both the Albanian and Greek sides. Travelers waited for border control procedures to be completed.
In the last 24 hours, around 10,000 Albanian and foreign citizens entered and exited through this point. According to sources from the border crossing, the flow is higher for entry into Albania than for departures.
Limited checkpoint capacity, delays remain a problem
On the Albanian side of Qafë Botë, four checkpoints are operating, while the Greek side has two in service. This capacity imbalance has led to delays for travelers on both sides of the border.
Precisely on the peak days of the season, when the movements of tourists, holidaymakers and emigrants rise sharply, operating with a limited number of checkpoints raises questions about the real readiness to manage the flow.
The official version speaks of managing the situation
According to border authorities, work is ongoing to cope with the heavy traffic and speed up procedures in order to avoid long waits.
However, the presence of queues at two of the main crossing points with Greece shows that on-the-ground management continues to be tested whenever seasonal travel reaches its peak.
The heavy flow at Kakavija and Qafë Botë is once again confirming this weekend the pressure that the summer season brings to the border with Greece.
For travelers, the problem remains practical: how quickly procedures are completed and how long the waits last at the busiest crossing points.