ISSUE OF PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FROM BiH SHOULD BE RESOLVED AT EU LEVEL

SARAJEVO, OCTOBER 16 /SRNA/ - Slovenia believes that the issue of professional drivers from BiH staying in the Schengen Area should be resolved at EU level, it was said at a meeting between President of the Foreign Trade Chamber of BiH Zdravko Marinković and Slovenian Ambassador Damijan Sedar.

Marinković and Sedar discussed in Sarajevo the implementation of rules limiting professional drivers' stay in the Schengen Area to 90 days in any 180-day period, as well as the consequences of this restriction for international transport and foreign trade.

The talks focused on the challenges faced by transport operators, as well as the broader consequences for exporters, importers and companies whose operations depend on the regular and timely delivery of goods, the Chamber said in a statement.

The meeting highlighted that Slovenia is among BiH's five most important foreign trade partners, making the smooth flow of transport a matter of mutual interest.

It was stressed that resolving this issue would benefit both sides, as the restrictions faced by domestic transport operators also affect Slovenian companies linked to the BiH market through trade, production and supply chains.

It was pointed out that this issue extends beyond the transport sector, affecting compliance with agreed deadlines, operating costs and the competitiveness of the economies of both countries.

Marinković and Director of the Transport and Communications Sector at the Foreign Trade Chamber Zijad Sinanović stressed the need to take into account the specific nature of professional drivers' work, as their stays in the Schengen Area are linked to the performance of international transport operations.

The aim of the meeting was to explore options that could, in the interim, make business easier for transport operators and companies in both countries, following the example of Croatia, while efforts continue to establish a lasting and harmonized European solution.

Croatia has enabled professional drivers engaged in international transport to obtain long-term Type D visas in order to regulate their extended stays on its territory.