Starovic: Our drivers are not illegal migrants, we insisted on an urgent solution

Serbian Minister for European Integration Nemanja Starovic stressed that ministers from the Western Balkans insisted on an urgent solution to the problem of road transporters at today's video meeting with the directors of three European Commission directorates.

"We noted that it is good news that the working version of the new visa strategy has been presented, but that it is not enough, because the road to regulation is long, and we do not have time," Starovic told RTS.

He said that the participants from the Western Balkans did not only complain about the problems faced by road transporters, but also presented some solutions.

"The level of agreement of road transport companies from the Western Balkans is high. The solutions we have offered are in line with the initiatives of the association. We are aware that Schengen regulations are not easy to change, but with a little good will, we can work on changing the implementing act. Our professional drivers are not illegal migrants. Passage, transit is not residence," Starovic emphasized.

He added that they were informed that work was being done on changing the implementing act, while a proposal, which was well listened to, was that the EC should point out to the member states that they have a kind of "bona fide" approach, i.e. that they do not apply the rule for professional drivers until a long-term solution is found and react only with a warning, voluntary departure, and not with arrest and deportation.

"We insisted on an urgent solution, because we cannot wait for months and years. But that is not in our hands. We are in constant contact with our road transport associations. The only permanent solution can and must be the accession of the entire Western Balkans to the Schengen area," Starovic underlined.

The Minister pointed out that the Western Balkans remained within the "cage of the Schengen zone" and that, for a similar reason, Liechtenstein was admitted, so work can also be done on the admission of our region.

"We already have a kind of fast track to Schengen, because we have adopted all the action plans. It was said that we are working in parallel on the accession to the EU and Schengen with the idea that it should happen on the same day and not wait for years. We can implement the current plan by mid-2027," Starovic added.

Incidentally, the European Commission has scheduled a new meeting for the second week of February at which an interim solution to the problems of road transport operators will be presented.

Transporters from the region blocked cargo terminals for several days last week due to the new EU entry and exit system, as well as the inadequate response of the European Commission and Schengen countries regarding the treatment of professional drivers and restrictions on their stay in the Schengen territory.