Starting September 23, professional drivers from Bosnia and Herzegovina will be able to submit visa applications in the Republic of Croatia, in accordance with amendments to Croatia’s Foreigners Act concerning this category of workers.
Edin Forto, the Minister of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina, welcomed the implementation of these amendments, highlighting that this represents a significant step forward following months of discussions and warnings regarding the problems faced by domestic transport companies and professional drivers.
“This is the first concrete step that can make work easier for our drivers. From the very beginning, we have maintained that people who perform their jobs on roads across Europe cannot be treated as migrants or tourists. We expect other European Union countries to follow Croatia’s example, as we need a solution that allows our drivers to perform their work without hindrance,” the minister said.
The issue of the length of stay for professional drivers from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region is particularly acute due to the rule limiting third-country nationals to a maximum stay of 90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area. For professional drivers, for whom crossing borders is an integral part of the job, this restriction poses a serious problem for conducting international road transport operations.
In recent months, the BiH Ministry of Communications and Transport has engaged in intensive communication with European and regional partners regarding this issue, pointing out that the problem affects not only drivers and transport companies but could also have consequences for trade, exports, and supply chains.
Forto had previously emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot change Schengen rules on its own and that a solution at the European Union level is required. “Croatia has shown that there is a way to make a step forward. We will continue to insist that a sustainable solution be found in other EU countries as well. Our carriers must be able to work, and drivers must not be punished for doing work that takes them across European borders every day,” said Forto.
Technical details for professional drivers from Bosnia and Herzegovina on how to apply for a visa will be available during the day on the website of the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Bosnia and Herzegovina, announced the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
