The extended Easter weekend is over, and the border crossings turned into endurance tests. Queues at Doiran stretching from the Greek side, frayed nerves at airports, and the new EU EES system dragging out the return journey. Getting home became a test of patience.

The EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES), which replaces passport stamps with digital identification, means extra waiting at border crossings. Travelers report long checks and technical problems that hold them at the border — precisely when everyone is trying to get home at the same time.

At Doiran, the queues stretched several kilometers, mostly from the Greek side as checks were intensified. Citizens vent on social media: "Nerves at airports and borders — the new system is tormenting passengers."

Will EES improve over time or is this the new reality for anyone traveling on a Macedonian passport? For a country outside the EU, every new European system is yet another barrier. And the queues? They are just a reminder of how far we still are from the free movement we have been promised for years.