An urgent thematic session of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been requested over the escalating problems faced by transport carriers, which business leaders warn now threaten the entire economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The request followed a meeting held at the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo, attended by employers and representatives of the business and transport community. An appeal has also been sent to the European Commission, seeking urgent intervention.
Carriers say they are still waiting for a solution to the so-called 90/180-day stay rule, which limits the time drivers can spend in the European Union. They report daily cases of deportations of BiH drivers and entry bans into EU member states.
Zijad Šarić from the Consortium “Logistics BiH” called for an urgent meeting with Croatian authorities.
“We urgently request talks with the Croatian side, including the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Croatia, in order to stop the deportation of our drivers from neighboring Croatia. Controls have recently been intensified, even though we received information that the EES system has been suspended,” Šarić said.
Participants at the meeting emphasized the need for a unified regional approach and greater understanding from Brussels.
Ahmet Egrlić, director of the Foreign Trade Chamber of BiH, stressed that institutions must adopt a common position and seek support in Brussels so that the European Commission and the relevant Commissioner understand the scale of the problem and assist in finding a sustainable solution.
Goran Račić, president of the RS Chamber of Commerce, said he expects the Council of Ministers of BiH to coordinate with counterparts from Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia in order to formulate joint positions and forward them to Brussels.
“Only in this way can we have the weight and credibility needed to reach a favorable solution for our carriers,” Račić said.
Mirsad Jašarspahić, president of the FBiH Chamber of Commerce, pointed out that the issue should also be addressed through regional mechanisms such as CEFTA and the Transport Community of Southeast Europe, noting that all affected countries are members.
Employers warn that transport prices could rise by as much as 30 percent, which would inevitably affect the entire supply chain and further weaken the competitiveness of the already struggling processing industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Zoran Škrebić, president of the Union of Employers of the RS, said such an increase would place additional pressure on the domestic economy. Mario Nenadić, director of the FBiH Employers’ Association, confirmed that continued talks with European and domestic institutions are planned, along with a formal request for a thematic session of the Council of Ministers and possibly a joint session with entity governments.
In the meantime, Minister of Communications and Transport Edin Forto met with representatives of the “Logistics of BiH” Consortium. Through the Council of Ministers, they will seek a joint session with the Government of Croatia. Forto expressed full support for drivers and carriers.
“Our drivers keep the economy moving, and if their right to work is prevented, protests are a completely justified reaction,” Forto said.
If no solution is reached, carriers have announced that on February 25 they will decide, together with colleagues from Serbia, on potential new blockades of border crossings. According to estimates, the first three days of previous protests caused losses exceeding 37 million BAM to the economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
