Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Kotzias, today chaired an interministerial meeting on preparation for the opening of the Prespes border crossing. The meeting was attended by the Alternate Minister of Civil Protection, Nikos Toskas, the Deputy Minister of Finance, Aikaterini Papanatsiou, the Regional Governor of Western Macedonia, Theodoros Karypidis, and representatives from the Ministries of National Defence and Infrastructure Transport. Discussions focussed on the preparations necessary for ensuring lake and land access to the Prespes border crossing. This will require the construction of a road, as well as buildings for housing customs and passport control facilities. It was agreed to move ahead with the process for awarding the necessary project studies. An effort will be made to utilise funding from the Greece-fYROM cross-border programme (interreg). All sides highlighted the importance of the project for the local economy and for strengthening the relations between Greece, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Albania.