Protests by truck drivers across the Western Balkans against new European Union border rules are disrupting major trade routes and raising concerns over fuel shortages and mounting economic losses, authorities and business groups said this week.
Truckers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia began blockading cargo terminals and border crossings on Monday, targeting routes into EU countries. The protests are aimed at the EU’s stricter entry-exit system, under which drivers risk detention and deportation for exceeding the Schengen area’s visit limits.
In Montenegro, the Energy Ministry warned that the country could face fuel shortages due to a blockade at the Adriatic port of Bar, the main entry point for overseas fuel imports. Montenegro has no oil refining capacity of its own, and the port also houses its largest fuel depots. Officials said current supplies have effectively been reduced to fuel already available at petrol stations, leaving the market with only a few days of coverage.
The border blockades have also stalled transport along a vital corridor linking the European Union with Turkey and the Middle East. In Bosnia, businesses have already lost an estimated 8 million euros ($9.55 million) since the protests began, according to a Foreign Trade Chamber survey. Losses could climb to 22 million euros if the disruption lasts a week or more.
Truck drivers say the EU rules unfairly target them. The Logistika association said more than 100 Bosnian drivers were deported last year for overstaying the EU’s 90-day limit, with another 100 deportations announced last week.
“We demand that the European Union urgently stops the discrimination of Bosnian truck drivers,” said transporter Zijad Saric. “We are neither migrants, nor illegal workers, nor tourists.”
Montenegrin police said protesters have permission to continue demonstrations until midday on Thursday. Meanwhile, Logistika members said the protests could be extended unless authorities also address demands for fuel excise tax refunds, VAT returns and lower motorway tolls for truckers.
