Bosnia’s truck drivers protest, demand government help for the sector

More than 500 trucks drove through the Bosnian capital Sarajevo on Monday, blowing horns in a protest against the government's failure to help the struggling transportation sector and warning they may block borders unless a deal is reached.

Around 47,000 workers are employed in Bosnia's transportation industry, which is worth about 4 billion euros ($4.60 billion), but administrative barriers and excessive taxes are endangering its survival, said Velibor Peulic, chief coordinator of the Logistika consortium of 600 companies.

Peulic said a key problem has been a 90-day cap set by the European Union on the amount of time Bosnian truck drivers can stay in the bloc without leaving, out of 180 days permitted annually. 

This has forced many companies to re-register in neighbouring EU members Croatia and Slovenia, and many Bosnian drivers to leave their country.

"We are not terrorists, we are doing our jobs," Peulic told reporters in Sarajevo, urging the foreign minister to expedite bilateral deals with EU member states to lift the time limitations for drivers.

He also said that transport companies want a refund of excise taxes on oil and shorter border procedures, calling for greater digitalisation to cut red tape and long queues.

Transportation Minister Edin Forto said last week the government will form a working group to meet the sector's demands and will appoint a transportation adviser to act as a point person on behalf of the government. 

Unless a deal with the government on proposed changes has been reached by the end of the week, the truck drivers will block state borders on April 28, the transporters said.

"Since we have been blocked, then the state will be blocked," said Zijad Saric, a member of the consortium's managing board.

($1 = 0.8692 euros)