The Logistics Consortium of Bosnia and Herzegovina will begin a “Protest until the demands are met” across the country today at 6 am.
The Consortium’s demands are the elimination of discrimination against drivers in the EU – compliance with the AETR agreement, fulfillment of the promises of the MKT BiH – changes to the regulations within its jurisdiction, financial relief for carriers – a 50 percent excise tax refund, a 50 percent discount on road tolls and the status of an exporter of services, and acceleration of border crossings, inspection and customs procedures.
It was emphasized that during the protest, their supply chains will be suspended, from local communities to border crossings.
The Consortium announced details of the blockade, which will begin on September 1st at 6:00 a.m. and will last until their demands are met. Their demands are: Elimination of discrimination against drivers from BiH in European Union (EU) countries, i.e., respect for the European Agreement concerning the Work of Crews (AETR). To recall, the Consortium is particularly dissatisfied that BiH truck drivers, when moving through Schengen, are treated the same as ordinary passengers from BiH – that is, in Schengen they cannot stay longer than three months within six months; Fulfillment of promises made by the Ministry of Communications and Transport of BiH regarding amendments to regulations; Financial relief for carriers, i.e. reimbursement of 50 percent of excise duties and a 50 percent discount on tolls, along with exporter status; Acceleration of border crossings, inspection, and customs procedures in order to primarily eliminate hours-long waiting times.
They emphasized that supply chains in municipalities, cities, and border crossings will be blocked. They pointed out that within the country and at the border, they will not block traffic for passengers. The participants of the blockade were given the following instructions: strictly obey police orders and cooperate with law enforcement; provoking and acting independently is strictly forbidden; coordinators determine the pace and intensity of the protest; protests must be conducted with discipline, order, and selectivity, without the arbitrariness of individuals; the state border is inviolable, which means that anyone’s arbitrariness could endanger order or the international reputation of BiH; avoid conflicts; coordinators must be flexible and prudent in their assessments and in making individual decisions.
The Logistics Consortium invited to dialogue the competent committees of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH (PABiH), the Ministry of Communications and Transport, the Veterinary Office, inspection bodies, and the Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH (ITA BiH).
They reminded that their demands have been supported by the Management Board of the Carriers’ Association at the Foreign Trade Chamber of BiH, as well as entity-level carriers’ associations.
According to the Consortium, they represent 47.000 workers in this sector who, as they stressed, are the lifeblood of the economy. They stated that they are in a joint struggle after “20 years of being underestimated, humiliated, and blackmailed by bureaucracy – enough is enough.” They believe that a blockade is the only way their demands will be met.
It should be recalled that in April this year, the Logistics Consortium organized protests in Sarajevo, where the streets saw a large number of trucks from all parts of the country.
The Minister of Communications and Transport of BiH, Edin Forto (NS), assures that he has done and is doing everything within his jurisdiction in order to fulfill the mentioned demands of the carriers and has called on other domestic institutions to do their part regarding this issue.
On the other hand, ministers from Republika Srpska (RS) in the Council of Ministers of BiH believe that Forto does not have the courage to demand from the EU that BiH drivers be granted easier movement in Schengen.
