After months of appeals and protests by domestic transporters, the Minister of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Edin Forto, today held a meeting with EU ambassadors. The main focus was resolving the pressing issue faced by professional drivers from Bosnia and Herzegovina who are restricted by strict rules on stay within the European Union.
Following the meeting, the message to the public and transport operators was clear – diplomatic efforts will continue, but a solution will not come overnight.
Millions in Losses and Announcement of New Blockades
Responding to questions about the announced new protests by drivers, Forto was frank, stressing that the authorities had not promised quick solutions when the previous blockade was lifted, as such solutions objectively do not exist at this time.
However, the situation on the ground is escalating. Transporters from Bosnia and Herzegovina are in continuous talks with their counterparts from Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo, forming a strong regional initiative.
“If they decide to stage a new protest, which could happen within days, it will draw dramatic attention to this issue. It is not only transporters waiting at the borders who are losing money, but also many companies that supply investors in the European Union. We know that some companies lost up to three million BAM during the previous five-day blockade. When a company loses that amount in five days, it can ruin the entire year and everything it has worked for. The situation is extremely serious, and I hope reason will prevail across the region,” Forto warned.
Inconsistencies in the Schengen Code
The main stumbling block remains the Schengen rules on stay within the European Union. Under current regulations, third-country nationals may stay in the Schengen Area for a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day period.
“The rules treat equally people visiting family, going on holiday, or staying for other reasons, and professional drivers who only transport goods and return. That is illogical, but that is where we stand. There is no political will within the EU to amend the Schengen Code, but we must work on its interpretation or on the application of other instruments, such as bilateral agreements,” the minister explained.
Victims of Their Own Success
It is also worth noting the perspective that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s transport sector has become a “victim of its own success.” At the time the Schengen Code was introduced, investment levels and the growth of regional transport companies were far below today’s standards.
“Our transport companies can compete with any in Europe. Their fleets meet the highest standards – all vehicles are equipped with Euro 6 engines. They know they must be among the best to secure contracts from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The sector has developed significantly, and now it is facing pressure. With new border identification tools, the European Union is directly making their operations more difficult and limiting the number of working days in the area where they excel,” Forto underlined, adding that the fight will continue.
Drivers Are Not a Security Threat
The meeting was also attended by Deputy Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ivica Bosnjak, who stated that the ministry fully supports the efforts of transporters.
“As far as the Ministry of Security is concerned, I am fully convinced that this population does not pose any security risk or migration threat. Such concerns must be ruled out, and procedures must be made easier,” Bosnjak concluded.
