Eight professional drivers from BiH detained in the EU in 10 days, appeal sent to FM Konakovic

"Although the competent authorities in those countries have confirmed that they are acting based on internal instructions, and that the drivers from Bosnia and Herzegovina had formally complied with the obligations under the AETR agreement and other applicable regulations, repressive measures continue to be enforced, including deprivation of liberty and financial penalties," the letter to Konakovic states.

The Consortium says that such practices directly endanger the basic human and labor rights of BiH citizens, undermine the legal security of the country’s international operators, and constitute a blatant violation of the obligations undertaken by EU member states under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA).

The Consortium is requesting that Konakovic organize a meeting with ambassadors of EU member states in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the aim of presenting a joint regional initiative on the status of professional drivers in international transport, issuing an official interpretation and dissemination of a joint statement on the application of AETR rules, and ensuring strict compliance with international agreements and conventions.

They also call for the launch of a systematic initiative toward EU institutions, specifically the sending of an official note to the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, the involvement of the Permanent Mission of BiH in Brussels, and bilateral contacts with the governments of Germany, Austria, and Poland to demand the immediate cessation of repressive measures against BiH drivers.

The Consortium is also seeking information on the institutional steps Bosnia and Herzegovina has taken in response to the discrimination against transporters, stressing that the arrests of young professional drivers from the country must stop.

"If a coordinated institutional response is not urgently established, Bosnia and Herzegovina will face an exodus of drivers from the sector, the loss of international markets, and the collapse of its strategic transport industry," the Consortium warns.

They conclude that this issue is no longer just a legal or economic matter, but has become a question of the dignity of BiH citizens, the credibility of domestic institutions, and the European standard of rule of law.