DETENTION OF DRIVERS HAVE BEGUN IN CROATIA, ALONG WITH IMPOSITIONS OF BAN ON ENTERING THE SCHENGEN AREA

SARAJEVO, MARCH 13 /SRNA/ - The consortium “Logistika BiH” announced that detentions of professional drivers have begun in Croatia, along with the imposition of six-month bans on entering the Schengen area for drivers holding BiH passports.

“Although formally this does not constitute an arrest, the fact that drivers are being brought in by authorities and issued entry bans represents an alarming signal for the entire transport sector of BiH,” the statement said. At an emergency session, the Plenum of the consortium “Logistika BiH” confirmed that March 23 remains the date for protest activities, as the transport sector of BiH is one of the key branches of the economy, with an annual value estimated at several billion Euros. The application of the 90/180-day rule for staying in the Schengen area, as well as the introduction of the Entry-Exit System /EES/, are already causing serious disruptions in international transport. At the border, more than 300 professional drivers have been turned back in some weeks, directly affecting the execution of export deliveries and the functioning of supply chains. “If this trend continues, the consequences for the transport sector of BiH will be dramatic. Estimates from the sector indicate that in the first phase, a large number of transport companies could shut down, up to 20,000 jobs could be lost, and the country’s export and logistics system could be seriously endangered,” representatives of the “Logistika BiH” consortium said. As they stated, transport companies in BiH are the most vulnerable in the entire region to restrictions on drivers working in international transport. If a professional driver can work only 15 days per month in international transport, the business model of most transport companies becomes unsustainable. In such a situation, they said, transport will not disappear, but will instead be taken over by foreign carriers, though at significantly higher prices. The statement adds that sector estimates show that the cost of transport with foreign carriers will be €1,000 to €1,500 higher per single transport operation, which will ultimately be paid by the domestic economy and the citizens of BiH. “Instead of a strong institutional response, we are witnessing the postponement of solving the problem through working groups, a lack of political lobbying toward EU institutions, and a lack of coordination with neighboring states,” the statement added. They warned that this is no longer just a problem for drivers and transport companies, but also a question of the economic survival of BiH’s logistics system. “If a serious political dialogue with EU institutions and neighboring states is not urgently initiated, the consequences will be felt by the entire economy of BiH,” the statement concluded.