Serbian, Bosnian Transporters Continue to Block Freight Border Crossings

Truck (BETAPHOTO/DRAGAN GOJIC)

Transporters from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina on Jan. 30 continued to block freight terminals at border crossings, while their colleagues in Montenegro and Northern Macedonia have suspended the blockades that started on Jan. 26, after the European Commission announced that new visa rules for a stay in the Schengen Area for highly mobile professions, such as truck drivers, athletes or artists, were being considered.

Freight terminals are blocked at 22 exits from Serbia and 19 entry points to Serbia.

Officials have announced that the ministers of all the Western Balkan states and European Commission representatives will meet on Feb. 3 to discuss the problem of the stay of the region's transporters in the Schengen Area.

Serbian transporters are happy with the EU's visa strategy unveiled on Jan. 29 and expect new rules on an extended short stay in the EU to be introduced, but believe there are more problems yet to be solved.

The transporters are using blockades as a means of getting the rules on the maximum 90-day stay in the Schengen Area countries within a 180-day period to change, as it, in their words, jeopardizes the work and survival of transportation companies in Western Balkan countries.

On Jan. 29, the European Commission adopted a new visa strategy and announced a special regime that would enable transporters to stay in the Schengen Area for more than 90 days, but with strict control and clearly defined rules.