Montenegrin truck drivers face border returns and deportations

During a single working week, 24 Montenegrin truck drivers were turned back at the Croatian border, and five others were deported from various European Union countries, according to Đorđije Lješnjak, president of the Association of Carriers of Montenegro.

These incidents stem from the strict application of the 90/180-day rule within the Schengen Area, which treats professional drivers as tourists, limiting their stay and work to a maximum of 90 days within any six-month period. Lješnjak noted that some drivers face entry bans of up to one year, often based on the subjective assessments of border police.

The Association warns that these restrictions threaten the existence of transport companies and drivers. This occurs despite a significant labor shortage in the European transport sector; transport expert Professor Velibor Peulić noted that Europe faces a deficit of approximately half a million professional drivers, a shortage that could disrupt the economic circulation of the region.