Truck drivers block Merdare: EES system harms everyone, consequences will be felt abroad

Truck drivers who today blocked the Merdare crossing over the implementation of the European Entry/Exit System (EES) told Kosovo Online that measures coming from Brussels negatively affect everyone, and that the consequences of the blockades will also be felt abroad. They say that drivers should be exempt from the new measures until a permanent solution is found, which is why they are requesting a meeting with representatives of the European Council and warning of more radical actions if their demands are not met.

Employer Ljubisa Nejdanovic said that the Brussels measures affect both drivers and employers.

“We came here today because of the problems facing our international transport—both us as employers and our drivers. This concerns the Schengen area rule of 90 days in 180, which does not cover us and leads to various problems. Drivers who exceed 90 days in Schengen are treated as criminals, deported, and banned from entry for six months to two years. These are mostly people who work and make their living from this job,” Nejdanovic told Kosovo Online.

He said employers risk losing drivers, which is why, as he noted, a meeting with representatives of the European Council is needed.

“The goal is to start reviewing the regulation (of the European Council) and to suspend this absurd regulation until a final outcome is reached. We are persistent; everything is blocked. This is not a whim—we are simply forced into it,” he said.

Nejdanovic stressed that the blockades will continue until the carriers’ demands are met.

“It won’t just stop like that—until we receive firm guarantees that this will be taken into consideration and that we will be invited to a meeting, that is, our ministry. Everyone is suffering from this—not only the Serbian economy; it is being felt abroad as well—France, Germany, and the connected automotive industry,” the employer added.

He noted that effects abroad will be felt within two to three days, adding that he expects a positive resolution to the situation.

Zoran Nikolic, owner of “Nikolic Transport” from Kursumlija, said roads were blocked because the competent institutions had failed to respond for months to carriers’ warnings.

“This is a radical measure that we had to take to protect our business. Repressive EU measures have already come into force, and drivers who exceed the limit by 10 days within six months are already being blocked abroad, treated as migrants; trucks are stopped, fines are issued, and drivers are deported,” Nikolic said.

He assessed that the consequences of these measures will be felt within one to two months, which would completely halt international transport.

“We expect that, to the satisfaction of both them and us, a solution will be found. Our current request is to halt repression against drivers until a solution is reached. If that happens today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow—we will immediately end this blockade,” he said.

He noted that traffic has been blocked at all border and administrative crossings in Serbia, as well as in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Albania, adding that all drivers face the same problem.

If no agreement is reached, Nikolic said that a large number of drivers are participating in the blockades and that only Brussels can resolve the situation.

“There are around 170,000 to 180,000 drivers in Serbia. No one took this seriously, but this is not something Serbia can solve. It is Brussels that needs to enable drivers to be exempted from tourist status, because these are people doing their jobs—that is, they should be treated under business visas,” Nikolic added.

He said he does not know how Brussels will resolve the issue, but noted that drivers are ready to lift the blockades the moment an agreement is reached.

“As for persistence, we are secure for at least seven days. After that, I am not the one deciding what happens, but there will certainly be more radical measures, and it could happen that transport is completely blocked,” he warned.