REGIONAL BORDER BLOCKADE ON MARCH 23

DOBOJ JUG, MARCH 7 /SRNA/ – Transport operators in BiH will join a regional blockade of border crossings for freight traffic starting March 23 due to unresolved problems related to drivers' stay in the European Union, it was concluded at today's plenary session of the Logistika Consortium BiH held in Doboj Jug municipality.

Transport operators' representative Zijad Šarić told reporters that passenger traffic would not be blocked and that the import of goods into BiH would be allowed for 72 hours, after which the blockades would begin.

Šarić explained that today's plenary session was initiated following a regional meeting held yesterday in Belgrade, attended by transport operators from Serbia, Montenegro, BiH and North Macedonia, where the blockade of border crossings starting March 23 was agreed upon.

He said he was satisfied that representatives from Serbia had accepted this date, as they had initially planned to hold protests on April 14.

"The protests will not stop until our demands are met. The biggest problem is the 90/180 rule, then the return of our drivers from border crossings with Croatia, as well as the arrests and harassment of our drivers", Šarić stated.

He expressed dissatisfaction with Croatia's offer to issue visas, adding that between 20 and 100 drivers are turned back at the border with that country every day.

Consortium member Dino Durmić from Doboj said the problem with Croatia exists only at its northern borders and believes that the 90/180 rule is a political rather than a security issue, since it is not applied to Serbia.

Consortium member Nikola Brković from Prijedor said that internal issues previously agreed with institutions at the entity and BiH levels have still not been resolved.

He highlighted the refund of part of excise duties and VAT from foreign countries, as well as reducing waiting times at the border by at least 50 percent.

Brković also pointed to the problem in cases when a vehicle license plate is lost, noting that obtaining a new one requires paying BAM 1,000.

Participants of the plenary session said that the decision to block freight traffic is a matter of their livelihood.