sharr/šar planina – korab – dešat/deshat - UNEP Vienna ISCC

order crossing was opened – the traffic intensitywas very low, currently this former border crossingpoint is no longer functional, since the conflictin 2001.The only border crossing point between Albaniaand the Former Yugoslav Republic ofMacedonia is “Blato”, located in the valley atthe southern limit of Dešat/Deshat mountains,to the south-west from Mavrovo National Parkarea, on the local road linking Debar in the FYRof Macedonia with Peshkopi in Albania, wherethe traffic is negligible, also due to the factthat the Albanian road section is not yet paved(some works begun in 2008). There are noborder crossing points in the Korab or Dešat/Deshat mountains, within the prooposed transboundaryprotected area.As already mentioned, in general the state bordersfollow natural physical features of the area,like mountain crests, and is demarcated in theterrain by the border stones, e.g. so called “pyramids”erected in 1 km distance from each otheralong the Albanian state border in Korab andDešat/Deshat mountains, or border stones andconcrete pillars/signposts along the “new” stateborder in Sharr/Šar Planina mountains. As for2009, there are no physical limits at the bordersin the Sharr/Šar Planina – Korab – Dešat/Deshatregion, often associated to the presence of thestate border in some other regions (e.g. barbedwire entanglements, wire or electric fences).In the past the border zone on the Albanianside had a several meters wide stripe ofploughed soil and sand cleared from vegetation,in order to show the traces of possible trespassers,but such is no longer maintained. However,there is some anxiety and distrust among thesociety concerning the possible presence of anti-personnellandmines on the Kosovo (Kosovo- UN administered territory under UN SecurityCouncil resolution 1244/99) side of the borders(in particular with Albania) considered to remainthere since the times of the war in 1999.Hence, the existence of the border does notprovide an obstacle to wildlife migrations andhas no negative influence on the connectivityand continuity of habitats present on both sidesof the border. Moreover, in general the presenceof the state border does not result in explicit legalobstacles limiting civilian access to the borderareas on either side of the state border.This is also why this border is to some extenta “soft” one, easy to cross in the afforestedmountain terrain without being noticed by borderpolice patrols. In result of the above, illegalactivities associated with the presence of thestate border were, and still are present. Themost frequent are those related to smugglingillegal immigrants and weapons, and illegal loggingin the forests across the state border.Moreover, smuggling drugs and contraband(incl. animals, tobacco and gasoline), cross-borderhuman trafficking and cross-border poaching,and crossing the state border in search for endangeredmedicinal plants (e.g. Gentiana lutea,mostly in Korab mountains) were, and most probablystill are, also a problem in this region.The above illegal activities boosted in thetimes of the recent wars and armed ethnic conflictsin the region, which resulted in the situationwhen the control by the state authorities inthe remote border areas became either impossibleor ineffective for several years. This is whysome of the border areas in this region gainedthe reputation of dangerous areas controlled bycriminal gangs, and potentially harbouring antipersonnellandmines.However, the above situation signifi cantlyimproved throughout the last few years. In thefuture, with the increased welfare of the inhab-PART 1. LOCAL CONTEXT FOR TRANSBOUNDARY COOPERATION 19