SARAJEVO, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Freight traffic at seven of the 16 border crossings between Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and European Union (EU) member Croatia was disrupted on Monday as truckers staged protests over working conditions and regulatory constraints, local authorities said.
Long queues of trucks were reported at key crossings, including Velika Kladusa, Gradiska, Brod, Orasje and others, with waiting times stretching for hours. Passenger traffic was largely unaffected.
The protests, organized by the Logistika BiH Consortium, target EU rules limiting non-EU drivers' stay in the Schengen Area to 90 days within any 180-day period. Truckers say the issue has worsened since the introduction of the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) in November 2025, which digitally records border crossings and reduces flexibility in cases of delays.
Despite the blockade, organizers said fuel deliveries would be allowed due to low domestic supplies. Police in some regions restricted the protests, limiting disruptions at certain crossings.
According to the Foreign Trade Chamber of BiH, the EU accounts for about 73 percent of the country's foreign trade, with up to 90 percent transported by road.
Minister of Communications and Transport of BiH Edin Forto said the sector's concerns are understandable, but resolving them requires coordinated efforts by domestic institutions and the EU. ■