Truck drivers from non-EU Balkan countries blocked cargo border crossings on Monday to protest the enforcement of new EU entry regulations, they say, that threaten their livelihoods. Long lines of trucks formed at border crossings in Bosnia, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Montenegro, including the port of Bar.
In October, the EU launched a new electronic entry and exit check system (EES), set to be fully implemented by April, to enhance border management and prevent illegal migration. This has led to stricter enforcement of rules that limit non-EU citizens to 90 days in the Schengen Area within 180 days.
Drivers argue that they quickly exhaust their 90 days, making it difficult for them to continue their work. They are calling for an exemption for professional drivers, as many have already been detained and deported for overstaying.
“We are sorry it has come to this, but we didn’t have a choice,” truck driver Amir Hadzidedic said during a protest at the Svilaj border crossing between Bosnia and EU member state Croatia, The Associated Press reported. “The only thing we are demanding with this protest is to be allowed to work, nothing else. We are asking for patience, because we have no other choice.”
In Brussels, European Commission spokesman Markus Lammert confirmed that the Commission is closely monitoring the situation regarding the 90-day rule for non-EU professionals, including athletes and drivers. He stated that this issue is receiving their full attention.
Last week, Serbia’s Prime Minister Djuro Macut urged the granting of special status to regional drivers, warning that the ongoing problem could “fully paralyse” transportation companies and harm Balkan economies. Protesting truck drivers said they would allow essential cargo, such as medicine and live animals, to pass through the blockades but would otherwise remain halted.
Muhamed Kantic, a driver, told The Associated Press that the rules also affect bus travel, leaving passengers stranded when drivers are detained.
Six Western Balkan countries—Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Montenegro—are in various stages of the EU membership reform process.
