[REVISION HISTORY]

North Macedonia Safe City expands, targets foreign drivers

Updated 15 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-24 09:01 UTC → 2026-08-27 17:57 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The Safe City traffic-monitoring system, launched 1 Feb 2026, continues to expand. By late July, the system was fully operational on the highway segment between Gorenci and Trebenista in Debarca, detecting speeding, red-light running, and expired registrations. ~~Additional units in the Ohrid region were in the final stages of technical verification.~~ In July 2026, police reported 20,976 issued fines and 496 driver detentions. Specific detentions included 81 for driving under the influence, 373 for driving without a license, and 25 for breaching prior driving bans. Other recorded infractions included 4,694 illegal parking offences, 2,073 helmet violations, and 1,829 seat-belt breaches. Authorities also seized 332 vehicles under article 300-b of the Criminal Code. As of 19 August 2026, enforcement against foreign-registered vehicles commenced at the Tabanovce border crossing, allowing authorities to intercept drivers exiting the country to settle recorded offenses dating back to 1 February 2026. This implementation caused significant congestion and long queues at Tabanovce. To manage the influx, authorities activated eight specialized payment points and introduced a mobile application for electronic payments, though travelers reported technical issues and poor connectivity. crossing. By late August, the ~~‘Safe City’~~ system had recorded over 310,000 ~~traffic violations since its inception in February,~~ violations, with a significant portion involving foreign vehicles. Between 19 2 February and 20 August ~~alone, 5,514 violations by foreign-registered vehicles~~ 2026, the system recorded 310,865 violations, of which 301,835 were ~~detected. By 24 August,~~ speeding incidents. Approximately 58 percent of these—180,378 cases—involved foreign-registered vehicles. To manage enforcement, authorities utilize license plate recognition at the Tabanovce (Serbia-North Macedonia) and Bogorodica (North Macedonia-Greece) checkpoints. Drivers are required to settle outstanding debts on-site before exiting, though a ‘Safe City’ web and mobile application allows for electronic credit card payments to prevent delays. The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported by 24 August that traffic flow at ~~the~~ Tabanovce ~~border crossing~~ was proceeding ‘without interruption’ due to ~~the introduction of the ‘Safe City’ web and mobile application. This~~ these digital ~~platform allows foreign citizens to receive direct information regarding violations, view payment orders, and pay fines electronically~~ tools. However, the system’s strict enforcement has led to ~~avoid delays~~ legal complications. The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a warning after a Polish driver was detained at ~~border points. Upon entry, drivers scan their passports~~ Tabanovce for driving 164 km/h in an 80 km/h zone; because the speed exceeded the threshold for criminal negligence, the driver faced potential criminal charges, including imprisonment and ~~enter vehicle registration details to facilitate timely notification of violations.~~ a driving ban, rather than a simple fine.

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