Western Balkan countries are discussing the possibility of simultaneously opening up their borders with an aligned policy on PCR tests, the Health Minister of North Macedonia, Venko Filipce, said on Sunday.

The idea is to open the borders of the countries of the region for people without the requirement for them to present negative coronavirus tests.

“I sincerely hope that we will definitely exchange all the information and that we will take a stand based on the exact epidemiological situation in each of the countries of the Western Balkans, plus Bulgaria and Greece,” Filipce said.

He pointed out that EU member states have only received a recommendation regarding the issue and that they are free to decide for themselves what the border regime will be.

“It is true that I announced on several occasions in the previous weeks that we would have a decision, but unfortunately we were waiting for the answers of the neighbouring countries. They finally answered last week,” Filipce said, as reported by the state media agency MIA.