SARAJEVO (Reuters) -Bosnian truck drivers on Wednesday lifted a blockade on the movement of all goods in the Balkan country after the government late on Tuesday agreed to fulfil most of their requests
Bosnian Truck Drivers Lift Blockade After Government Concessions
Overview of the Truck Drivers' Protest
SARAJEVO (Reuters) -Bosnian truck drivers on Wednesday lifted a blockade on the movement of all goods in the Balkan country after the government late on Tuesday agreed to fulfil most of their requests aimed at supporting the sector.
Reasons for the Blockade
Since Monday, about 600 trucks have been parked near cargo customs terminals in many towns, including the capital Sarajevo, and near the borders with Croatia and Serbia. That has slowed passenger traffic and threatened the profits of exporters and producers of perishable goods.
Government Response and Agreements
The protest by Logistika, representing 47,000 workers in the transport sector, was organised after months of negotiations with Bosnia's numerous layers of government yielded no results, their representatives said.
Future Discussions with the EU
One of the key problems listed was a 90-day cap set by the European Union on how long Bosnian truck drivers could stay in the bloc without leaving, out of 180 days permitted annually.
The truck drivers also want a refund of excise taxes on oil, shorter border procedures, and greater digitalisation to help cut red tape and long queues.
Velibor Peulic, the Logistika chief coordinator, said that some requests filed to the government were fulfilled, with others in the process of being fulfilled.
He said the transport community from the region, spanning Turkey to Bosnia, would discuss issues with European Commission officials on Sept. 10 in Belgrade, and he expected they would approve a longer stay for truck drivers from the region in the EU.
(Reporting by Daria Sito-SucicEditing by Bernadette Baum)
