Freight drivers in Bosnia blocked the movement of all goods in the country on Monday. They do so in protesting against insufficient support for the transport sector by the government. Informed about Reuters and AFP, TASR writes.
According to the organizers, approximately 600 trucks were involved in the protest, which remained shut down at customs terminals in several cities, including Sarajevo and at the border with Croatia and Serbia. Approximately ten border crossings were blocked, especially on the border with Croatia.
Traffic delays
Although the aim was not to block road transport, the action caused significant delays on the entrances to several places, including Sarajevo.
“We stopped the supply chains throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Velibor Peulič from the Logistics Association. He added that approximately 4,000 tonnes of goods were no longer in Sarajevo. At the same time, he expressed the hope that the relevant ministries will start acting from today.
Association’s requirements
The protests under the slogan “was enough” was organized by the Logistics Association, representing 47,000 workers of this industry. According to his statement, the months of negotiations with numerous government institutions did not bring the desired result.
The Logistics Association, which brings together 600 companies, requires a reduction in administrative barriers and taxes to threaten the survival of the sector. Trucking also requires a refund of fuel consumption, shortening at the border and greater digitization that would reduce bureaucracy and the time of waiting at the border.
Government efforts
The Bosnian Ministry of Communications and Transport said it has already begun to remove part of the administrative barriers. It added that changes in procedures should be completed by October. According to Peulič, negotiations with the government will continue, but also protests.
One of the key problems, Logistics has identified the European Union restriction that Bosnian drivers can spend up to 90 out of 180 days per year in EU Member States. According to Peulič, many companies are forced to register in Croatia or Slovenia. Many drivers This situation lead to leaving Bosnia.
This restriction has been valid since 2008, when Bosnia signed an agreement on trade and aid as the first step towards EU membership. Truckists ask for an exception to this rule, or to be counted for hours, not for days.
Peulič informed that 48 drivers from Bosnia had been detained in the EU to exceed the daily limit.
