BATROVCI, Serbia, Jan 29 (Reuters) – Truck drivers in the Western Balkans maintained their blockades of cargo terminals on borders with the European Union on Thursday as regional governments asked the EU to adjust rules they say add hundreds of millions of euros to costs.
Truckers in Bosnia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia began protests on Monday against the EU’s new stricter implementation of its entry-exit system under which they face detention and deportation for exceeding Schengen visit limits.
The same day, EU spokesperson Markus Lamert said the bloc was working on a new visa strategy for highly mobile professions like truck drivers, athletes or artists, but the drivers have kept up the pressure.
At the Batrovci border crossing between Serbia and Croatia, an EU-member state, a mile-long column of trucks blocked the approach to the cargo terminal.
“I would personally like this to be over tomorrow…, but we will see what the European Commission will … bring to us as a solution,” said Dusan Andjelic, of the MS Transporter trucking company.
Blockades halted freight along the key corridor linking the EU to Turkey and the Middle East.
Serbia’s Chamber of Commerce head Marko Cadez said 93% of exports from the four countries were blocked, causing daily damage of about 92 million euros ($109.95 million).
EU-based firms operating in or exporting to the region are also affected.
“For every company … it is about 10,000 to 50,000 euros per day in penalties … as they are not servicing customers,” Cadez told Reuters in Belgrade.
In a letter sent on Wednesday to EU enlargement chief Marta Kos, Montenegro’s President Jakov Milatovic urged consideration of Montenegrin transporters’ daily needs.
On Thursday, Montenegrin truckers lifted a blockade of the Adriatic port of Bar that had stoked fear of fuel shortages.
Cadez said Serbia was seeking a meeting with the European Commission to discuss solutions like special visas or permits.
($1 = 0.8368 euros)
(Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic in Belgrade and Branko Filipovic in Batrovci; Editing by Philippa Fletcher)
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