Kick-off Meeting for project CROSS ROAD: Paving the Way for Resilient Connectivity

On 16 December 2025, the Municipality of Prespes hosted the official kick-off meeting for the project “CROSS-border ROAD Development Initiative” (CROSS ROAD) in Laimos, Greece. The meeting brought together representatives from the three project partners —the Municipality of Prespes (Lead Beneficiary), the Municipality of Pustec and the Municipality of Nestorio— alongside colleagues from the Managing Authority / Joint Secretariat, namely JS coordinator Mr George Papadopoulos and project officer Ms Viktoria Stergiou, of the Interreg VI-A IPA Greece – Albania 2021-2027 programme.

As the project’s broader scope focuses on sustainable transport (Specific Objective RSO3.2), the kick-off meeting served as a critical operational milestone to finalise the implementation roadmap for the next 18 months.

Key Decisions and Outcomes

The partners engaged in a detailed technical discussion regarding the three main pillars of the project: infrastructure, digital mobility and climate resilience.

1. Infrastructure Interventions aligned for immediate procurement

The partners confirmed that the technical studies for the road upgrades are mature, allowing for rapid progression to the procurement phase. The meeting solidified the specific interventions for each area:

• Prespes: Upgrading approximately 3,3 km of municipal roads, specifically focusing on the connection from Psarades toward Charades.
• Pustec: Reconstruction of a 2,5 km internal road section in Tuminec (Kallamas), linking the national network to the village center.
• Nestorio: Reconstruction of 5,0 km of high-altitude rural roads in the Dipotamia settlement to improve access near the border line.

2. A Shared Approach to Digital Mobility

A significant portion of the discussion focused on the “soft” actions of the project. Partners agreed to treat the development of the Cross-Border Carpooling Platform (Web & Mobile) as a unified shared service rather than isolated municipal tools. It was decided that the technical development will be accompanied by a coordinated user support campaign to ensure uptake among residents and commuters in these sparsely populated areas.

3. Prioritising Climate Resilience

The partners finalised the methodology for the Road Climate Vulnerability Audit. This activity will identify critical weak points in the road network —such as culverts and bridges susceptible to flooding— providing a data-driven basis for future investment planning and emergency preparedness.

Next Steps

The meeting concluded with a consensus on the administrative obligations and reporting timelines required by the Programme authorities. The partners agreed to hold the next technical meeting in Pustec, Albania, scheduled for May 2026.