Regional transport protests announced at EU borders over Schengen rules

Organizers state that the demonstrations stem from the ongoing failure to provide concrete and sustainable solutions regarding the limited stay of professional drivers from Western Balkan countries within the Schengen area. Drivers continue to face detentions, deportations, entry bans, and other severe consequences under existing regulations, which severely disrupt transport company operations and international supply chains.

The coordinated protests will unfold simultaneously across Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, targeting border crossings and freight terminals along main transport routes toward the European Union. In BiH, designated coordinators will manage cooperation with border, customs, and police services at every crossing facing EU territory.

Protest organizers emphasize that the demonstrations will remain peaceful, lawful, and fully coordinated with competent authorities, maintaining priority clearance for emergency medical and humanitarian transports, live animals, and other urgent shipments. Transport operators stress that the public and general economy are not the targets of the action, which aims instead to protect professional drivers, domestic transport enterprises, and regional supply chain stability.

Industry representatives are calling on the European Commission, EU member states, and Western Balkan governments to immediately initiate an institutional process establishing a special operational regime for professional international road transport drivers. While organizers remain open to dialogue until the protests commence and stand ready to evaluate legally sustainable solutions, they have formally notified relevant ministries, council bodies, border police directorates, entity governments, and the European Union Delegation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.