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Western Balkan transporters announce regional protests over Schengen rules
Transporters from the Western Balkans, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, have announced coordinated regional protests for August 31. The demonstrations aim to address critical issues regarding the Schengen 90/180-day rule, which treats professional drivers as tourists, leading to frequent entry bans, delays, and labor shortages.
In Sarajevo, the protest will feature a march from the Parliamentary Assembly to the EU Delegation building, accompanied by a convoy of heavy vehicles. Similar actions are planned in Belgrade, Podgorica, and Skopje. Transport associations warn that if the European Commission does not provide a concrete solution—such as a special status or exemption for professional drivers—they will escalate to blocking all border crossings with the EU, potentially starting on September 14.
Bosnian Minister of Communications Edin Forto has pledged support for the drivers, emphasizing that the right to work should not be a privilege. The transport sector warns that current restrictions threaten international supply chains and the economic stability of the region.
Entities
EU Delegation in Sarajevo · Edin Forto · European Commission · European Union Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina · European Union delegation · Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina · Logistics BiH Consortium · Logistics Consortium BiH · Logistika BiH · Makam-Trans · Nikola Brković · Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 19 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 · +13 more
- [● 16 SOURCES] A potential follow-up protest involving border blockades is planned for September 14 if no solution is reached. 6yka.com · nezavisen.mk · banjaluka.net · infobirac.net · jajce-online.com · +10 more
- [● 17 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 · +11 more
- [● 16 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 · banjaluka.net · infobirac.net · +10 more
- [● 18 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 · +12 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 · +13 more
- [● 19 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 · +13 more
- [● 17 SOURCES] Professional drivers are seeking a status that exempts them from tourist-based entry restrictions. novi.ba · 6yka.com · radiobrcko.ba · banjaluka.net · infobirac.net · +11 more