Balkans face worsening highway congestion as construction delays persist

In Vitez, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the main M‑5 road handled over 1.4 million vehicles between 24 June and 24 July, averaging more than 45 000 vehicles per day. The heavy traffic has created long queues, especially during peak hours and the tourist season, and accidents have become common. Although a five‑kilometre section of a fast‑road from Mošunj to Nević Polje has been built, it remains unusable because it is not yet connected to the existing highway, and work on the next segment through Business Centre 96 has not started.

Meanwhile, the Croatian Auto Club (HAK) warned drivers of increased traffic on Croatia’s motorways, particularly on the A1 corridor toward the sea and around Zagreb. Congestion was reported on the A1 between Lučko and Bosiljevo 2, on the A2 near Trakošćan, and on the Zagreb‑west junction where queues stretched up to four kilometres. HAK advised motorists to drive cautiously, keep safe distances, and respect speed limits to avoid further accidents.