Western Balkan truck drivers to protest at 21 border crossings

Truck drivers from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and North Macedonia have announced a coordinated protest starting at midnight on September 14. The action involves halting road freight transport at 21 border crossings.

The protest is a response to Schengen Area residency restrictions. Professional drivers from the Western Balkans report being deported or banned from the Schengen zone for exceeding the permitted 90-day stay within a 180-day period. Drivers argue that days spent on international transport duties are counted toward this limit, making it difficult to maintain regular routes into the European Union.

The planned stoppage will affect both entry and exit freight terminals at major crossings, as well as traffic on roads leading to smaller crossings. The organizers stated the protest will continue until authorities offer a solution to the residency issue.