The expansion of the European Union (EU) and Schengen regimes points towards a change in the traditional functions of state of borders and, to some extent, a reduction in their importance. Beyond the EU’s external boundaries, however, state borders have in many ways retained their classic role and relevance in the post-communist period.
Disputes related to state borders emerged as significant challenges to international peace, security and stability.
International agreements on borders are unalterable, they last for an unlimited period of time and thus even the smallest mistake or oversight cannot be tolerated.
A well-known fact is that all state borders are to be demarcated and set up with agreements between the countries or duly marked and defined. According to the European practice, the borderline, as a rule, is drawn in three stages: the first stage implies approval of an international act of demarcation; the second stage is the demarcation of the site done by the Joint Committee of the two countries; and the third stage consists of precise designation of the border.
Demarcation represents the next phase of the process envisaged under the Agreement when the demarcation teams are assigned the task of transferring the delimitation directly on to the ground Bearing in mind the importance of similar Agreements which do not allow mistakes nor improvisations, have unlimited term of validity and are irrevocable Major problems relating to international boundaries stemmed in large part from the fact if the borders are not precisely defined and documented.
The demarcation might not be absolutely necessary in all the cases, especially when the borderline goes through clearly defined parts of the site or where demarcation is not possible due to sites with no access, which is the case with this border along its larger part. A number of delimited borders are not demarcated for many reasons, but in general maximum efforts must be exerted to demarcate the border where this is possible.
BALKAN BORDERS 