Complete chaos is unfolding during weekend at the Bosanska Gradiška border crossing, where it is difficult to determine whether conditions are worse at entry into or exit from the country. Miles-long traffic jams in Gradiška, stretching all the way to the roundabout near “Centrum,” have become a regular weekend occurrence, with no signs that the situation will improve anytime soon.
Traffic at All Major Border Crossings
The same situation, if not worse, has been recorded at the Gradina border crossing, where long queues are forming on exit from Bosnia and Herzegovina, stretching hundreds of meters. Travellers at the Slavonski Brod crossing also have to be patient, just like those at the Stara Gradiška and Svilaj border crossings.
“The queues extend all the way to the roundabout near Centrum,” said one of the drivers.
Such traffic gridlocks are a clear indication of the impact the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) is having at border crossings.
“These kinds of crowds at border crossings are one of the clearest indicators of what the new Entry/Exit System (EES) has brought.”
“Such crowds at the border crossings are the best indicators of what the new Entry/Exit System (EES) from the European Union has brought. Every citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina and countries the EU defines as “third countries” must undergo a face scanning process as well as a four-fingerprint scan, along with the usual submission of travel documents. Although the process itself does not last long, a significantly higher traffic volume over the weekend has already resulted in gridlocks for miles,” as stated in the analysis of the current condition.
A Problem That Cyclically Repeats
The fact that these gridlocks occur every Saturday and Sunday suggests that the infrastructure simply cannot absorb the new biometric protocols during a heavy influx of vehicles. A cumulative delay – where every passenger adds a minute or two to the standard procedure – creates a bottleneck for thousands of cars which is not cleared for hours.
Further concern is sparked by the fact that the real summer season is ahead of us. If weekend migrations in May are enough to paralyze the Gradiška and Gradina border crossings, thequestion remains: what will the borders look like in July and August, when traffic towards the Adriatic Sea is several times higher.
For now, passengers cannot do anything except arm themselves with patience and track the BIHAMK and AMS RS cameras, while understanding that crossing the border on Sunday has become the hardest part of every trip.
