site.btaOutgoing Cabinet Approves Draft Agreement on Opening New Border Checkpoint with Serbia at Kalotina - Gradinje

The Council of Ministers approved a draft agreement between Bulgaria and Serbia on the opening of a joint border checkpoint Kalotina 2 (Bulgaria) and Gradinje 2 (Serbia) as a basis for launching negotiations, the Government’s press centre said on Wednesday.

At its regular meeting on November 13, 2025, the Interdepartmental Council on Border Control adopted a decision to build a new joint border checkpoint on the Bulgarian-Serbian border. The checkpoint is to be located on Bulgarian territory near the existing Kalotina border crossing, intended for the crossing of persons and passenger cars, with seasonal operation and fixed working hours.

Following this decision, preliminary consultations were held with the European Commission, which issued a positive opinion.

The draft agreement provides that, within a timeframe to be additionally agreed between the competent authorities of both sides, the contracting parties will build and open a new joint road border checkpoint in the area of the land of Kalotina village, Dragoman Municipality, on Bulgarian territory. Each contracting party will construct on its own territory the necessary infrastructure for the functioning of the new road border checkpoint.

The draft agreement also provides for the establishment of a Joint Expert Commission, which will specify the main technical characteristics of the road connections, the location of the routes, their points of intersection with the border, the site of the new checkpoint and its technical parameters, the operating regime, infrastructure, types of cargo and passengers, legal and practical issues related to the construction of the checkpoint, as well as all other matters of mutual interest. The Joint Commission will operate and take decisions in accordance with the instructions of the governments of the two contracting parties.