Bosnia Minister backs trucker protest over EU stay rules

Speaking on the upcoming action, Forto stated that he will stand alongside transport workers, emphasising that the right to work is not a privilege and that this is the core message which must reach the European Commission.

During recent meetings of the European Commission working group, the ministry tabled a provisional proposal enabling drivers from Bosnia to reset their permitted duration of stay calculations within member states while a long-term visa framework is developed.

Furthermore, the ministry has urged Brussels to explore flexible guidelines within existing legal parameters to accommodate professional drivers under the standard ninety-in-one-eighty-day rule without necessitating formal amendments to Union legislation.

Forto noted that drivers travel to carry out cross-border logistics rather than to settle permanently, arguing that treating international freight operators as individuals attempting to bypass immigration controls is unacceptable. He added that authorities await a formal response from Brussels regarding the practical measures submitted.

Recent instances involving drivers facing entry refusals, detention, and deportation due to strict enforcement of the residency limits have escalated beyond sector-specific concerns, directly jeopardising international commerce and supply routes linking the country to the single market.

Concluding his remarks, Forto stressed that the livelihood of several thousand drivers underpins national import and export operations, prompting his decision to participate in the August demonstrations to press the European Commission for a workable solution.