At the border crossings of Croatia from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, large crowds and hours-long waits have been recorded since the early morning hours, after the full implementation of the new European system of entry and exit control from the Schengen area (EES – Entry/Exit System) began.
The start of the implementation of the new system and the extended weekend created a collapse
According to available information, the increased intensity of traffic coincided with the extended weekend, which further burdened the already busy border crossings. Combined with the new passenger screening procedures, this led to the formation of kilometer-long queues and several hours of delays at the entrance to Croatia.
Travelers from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia report that at some crossings they wait up to three hours, while the situation further worsened during the day due to the continuous influx of vehicles.
The biggest crowds at key crossings
According to data from the competent services, the most difficult situation was recorded at the border crossings Izačić, Velika Kladuša, Gradina, Gradiška and Orašje on the border between Bosnia and Croatia.
On the border with Serbia, a particular strain was recorded at the Batrovci–Bajakovo crossing, where queues several kilometers long formed, and waits reached up to three hours.
What does the new EES system bring?
The new Entry and Exit System (EES) represents a digital replacement for the previous manual stamping of passports for citizens of non-EU countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.
Instead of a classic stamp, travelers entering the Schengen area for the first time must undergo biometric registration, which includes fingerprinting and photographing. The system automatically stores personal and travel data, as well as information on entry and exit, and records any overstays.
The EES is applied in 29 European countries and is part of a broader strategy to strengthen security and control movement within the Schengen area.
First entries the slowest
The greatest delays are expected for travelers who are entering the EU for the first time or who have not been registered in the system before. Their biometric registration takes longer than standard control, which further slows down the flow at border crossings.
Although the goal of the new system is to modernize and speed up border procedures in the long term, the first days of its application were marked by crowds and a slow flow of passengers, which is already being felt at all key entrances to Croatia.
