started · updated
Western Balkan transport companies announce regional protests
Transport companies across the Western Balkans have announced coordinated regional protests scheduled for August 31. The demonstrations aim to address critical issues facing professional drivers regarding the Schengen Area's 90/180-day stay rule and the new Entry/Exit System (EES).
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, protesters plan to gather in front of the Parliamentary Assembly in Sarajevo before marching to the European Union Delegation building. The protest will include a convoy of heavy goods vehicles through the city. Similar demonstrations are planned in Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, with participants gathering in front of EU delegations in their respective countries between 12:00 and 14:00.
Industry representatives, including members of the 'Logistika BiH' Consortium and the 'Makam-trans' Association, state that professional drivers are being treated like tourists, leading to frequent border rejections, fines, and labor shortages. The companies are demanding a specific professional status that exempts them from these rigid tourist-based restrictions.
If the European Commission does not provide a solution during the working group meeting in Brussels on September 1, transport companies have threatened to escalate their actions by blocking all border crossings with the EU, potentially starting as early as September 14.
Entities
European Commission · European Union Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina · European Union delegation · Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina · Logistics Consortium BiH · Logistika BiH · Makam-Trans · Nikola Brković · Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina · Sarajevo · Zdravko Marinković
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 10 SOURCES] The protests are a response to the Schengen 90/180-day rule affecting professional drivers. banjaluka.net · jajce-online.com · mostarski.ba · viki.mk · impulsportal.net · +5 more
- [● 2 SOURCES] A potential follow-up protest involving border blockades is planned for September 14 if no solution is reached. 6yka.com · nezavisen.mk
- [● 7 SOURCES] If demands are not met, transport companies threaten to block all border crossings with the EU. banjaluka.net · jajce-online.com · mostarski.ba · impulsportal.net · 6yka.com · +2 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] The protests are scheduled to occur before a European Commission working group meeting in Brussels on September 1. viki.mk · 6yka.com · radiobrcko.ba
- [● 6 SOURCES] In Sarajevo, the protest will include a march from the Parliamentary Assembly to the EU Delegation building. banjaluka.net · jajce-online.com · mostarski.ba · novi.ba · 6yka.com · +1 more
- [DISPUTED] Transport companies from the Western Balkans will hold coordinated regional protests on August 31. banjaluka.net · jajce-online.com · mostarski.ba · viki.mk · impulsportal.net · +5 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] Protests will take place simultaneously in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. banjaluka.net · jajce-online.com · mostarski.ba · viki.mk · impulsportal.net · +5 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] Professional drivers are seeking a status that exempts them from tourist-based entry restrictions. novi.ba · 6yka.com · radiobrcko.ba