Transport operators from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina have continued their blockades at border crossings with the European Union for the fifth consecutive day.
Meanwhile, their counterparts from Montenegro and North Macedonia abandoned the measures on January 29, after the European Commission announced that it is working on a new visa strategy aimed at addressing the issue of limited stay periods for third-country workers who need to enter the Schengen Area.
Freight terminals are currently blocked at 22 exit points and 19 entry points in Serbia alone.
Cargo transporters are protesting what they describe as strict procedures for entering the Schengen Zone, which they claim have significantly reduced the amount of time they are allowed to stay in EU member states.
Their main demand is an extension of the permitted stay from three to four months within a six-month period.
Initial warnings indicated that the blockades would last at least seven days if no agreement is reached.
On the first day of the protests, the President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Marko Čadež, stated that the direct daily damage to the economies of the Western Balkans amounts to approximately €100 million.
The new visa strategy, adopted by the European Commission on January 29, foresees closer cooperation with EU member states to find “pragmatic solutions” and to approve extended stays for certain categories of third-country nationals.
On Friday, the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomed the decision by transport companies in the region—specifically those in Montenegro and North Macedonia—to lift the blockades.
“This is a positive step toward normalizing the flow of goods and restoring supply chains for Kosovo businesses, as these blockades caused significant delays in imports and exports, increased operational costs for companies, and created uncertainty across entire economic sectors,” the Chamber said in a media statement.
Although Kosovo did not take part in the protest, it has felt its consequences, as the majority of its imports and exports are conducted through transit routes across these countries.
Several Kosovo businesses interviewed by Radio Free Europe stated that in recent days they have faced delays, risks to contractual obligations, and financial losses. /RFE
