Transporters warn of border blockades - Western Balkan associations demand suspension of Schengen 90/180 rule
International transporters from North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro have warned of fierce protests and blockades of border crossings, as, according to them, the European Commission has not offered a concrete solution to the problem of restricting the stay of professional drivers in the Schengen area.
Transport associations announce that on August 11 they will hold an urgent regional meeting in North Macedonia, where next steps will be discussed, including organizing mass protests and blocking the movement of goods at the main border crossings of the Western Balkans.
At the heart of the dispute is the strict implementation of the Schengen “90/180 days” rule, which limits the stay of citizens of countries outside the European Union in the Schengen area to a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period. Transporters argue that this rule, designed for tourists and not professional drivers, is seriously hampering the functioning of international transport.
According to them, although a temporary agreement was reached in April to restart the counting of days of stay, border authorities in some EU countries are not implementing it. As a result, many drivers are being stopped at the border and denied entry to countries such as Croatia, Hungary and Romania, while transport companies are facing huge financial losses.
The associations have requested an urgent meeting with European Union representatives in Belgrade or Brussels. However, Brussels' response has been that the talks will take place online at the end of next week, as the responsible officials of the Directorate for Mobility and Transport are on vacation.
Transporters consider this approach unacceptable, stressing that the sector is facing a serious crisis that requires immediate solutions. They recall that in January they organized a four-day blockade of freight terminals as a warning, but without achieving a long-term solution. If a decision is made at the meeting on August 11 to radicalize the protests, the blockades are expected to extend to the entire Western Balkans, risking the disruption of the flow of goods between the European Union and Southeast Europe during the peak of the summer season.
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