Since September 1, 2025, thousands of truck drivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina have been blocking roads, border crossings, and customs terminals across the country. Organized by the industry alliance “LOGISTIKA,” the protest is directed against legal, economic, and administrative burdens that, from the companies’ perspective, threaten their competitiveness.
According to Velibor Peulić of the Logistics BiH Consortium, around 47,000 people are participating in the protest . He says that as a result of the blockades , around 20,000 tons of goods are currently stuck at the borders . The consortium claims control over 93 percent of the flow of goods within the country.
Trigger: Residence regulations and EU entry bans
The immediate trigger for the protests were the arrests of Bosnian-Herzegovinian drivers in several EU countries for alleged violations of the 90-day rule within a 180-day period. In particular, the method of counting, according to which multiple daily crossings of the EU border – for example, between Neum (BiH) and Ploče (Croatia) – are counted as several full days of stay, is being criticized. The transport companies are demanding that the count be recorded in hours , not days.
A spokesperson for the Bosnian Ministry of Transport stated that they had unsuccessfully negotiated exemptions for professional drivers at the EU level. Entry regulations were outside of national jurisdiction.
Demands of the transport industry
In addition to the EU regulation, the protesters demand:
- Equal treatment with EU drivers under the AETR Agreement
- 50 percent refund of fuel excise tax
- 50 percent reduction in toll fees
- Recognition as service exporters
- Reduction of waiting times at borders, customs and inspections
- Changes to national regulations, for example regarding driver training (currently around 750 euros training costs per person)
Peulić also points to administrative hurdles, such as a three-year waiting period after school for those starting their careers – in contrast to regulations in Germany, for example, where novice drivers are allowed to work under supervision from the age of 18.
Traffic situation: Current information from 02.09.2025, 10:34 a.m.
According to the Auto-Moto Club BIHAMK, almost all freight terminals at border crossings are currently blocked , including Izačić, Bijača, Orašje, Šamac, Pavlovića Most, Gradiška, and Rača. Passenger traffic is also severely disrupted in many places, although it was originally intended not to be blocked. Kilometer-long traffic jams are forming on main roads.
Among those severely affected are:
- Sarajevo (Rajlovac, Centrotrans, Gazprom)
- Tuzla, Doboj, Mostar, Travnik, Vitez
- Banja Luka, Bijeljina, Prijedor, Novi Grad
- Border towns such as Brčko, Strmica and Trebinje
At most border crossings, waiting times for cars are currently less than 30 minutes , but the overall traffic flow has been significantly slowed down by the blockades.
The protests highlight the growing tensions between the economic realities of Eastern European transport companies and the EU’s regulatory framework . Whether and when an agreement will be reached remains open—as does the duration of the traffic disruptions.
