Regional transporters block borders with EU, Kosovo in trouble

The move is a response to the new EU system of inflow control, which they consider cause for deportations, delays and economic losses, and require transport companies to be excluded from its implementation.

Transporters announced that the blockades will last seven days unless a solution to their problem is found during this time.

As importer of many goods through Serbia and Northern Macedonia, Kosovo is expected to feel the consequences of protests in the flow of transport vehicles.

The National Border Management Centre announced that, according to information accepted by Serbia's border officials, “will have truck stops at all border points with Serbia”.

These protests influence the circulation of transport and goods vehicles, as well as overload traffic in the border areas of the Republic of Kosovo with the countries of the region, which are involved in protests”, the report said.

The National Border Management Centre warned that similar blockades would be made by Montenegro.

The chairman of the Kosovo Chamber of Economics (OEK), Lulzim Rafuna, at the same time head of the Western Balkans' Economic Odays, says Kosovo does not participate in the protest, as the country does not yet have logistical companies that conduct regular transport with EU countries.

But, it warns, its effects will also be felt in Kosovo.

Because of the blockade of borders, Kosovo will neither be able to export nor import goods”, Rafuna tells Radio Free Europe.

According to Kosovo Customs data last year, the country has imported products worth over 7 billion euros in total, or about 20m euros a day, a large amount through Serbia and Northern Macedonia.

The value of exports, meanwhile, was around 942m euros last year, or about 2.6m euros a day.

In an effort to find a solution, Rafuna says six Western Balkans' economic Odays have sent a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyeen.

The letter provided by Radio Free Europe, dated January 20th, calls for a lasting solution to the issue.

The expected developments as a result of these measures are disturbing and can turn into a systematic economic and political challenge for the region”, says the letter.

According to Rafuna, the new system has forced companies in the Western Balkans to employ new drivers every three months.

This is a big problem because there's a lack of them... and this whole thing breaks down the supply chain”, he says.

The deputy chairman of the Kosovo Association of Communicators, Besnik Aliu, tells Radio Free Europe that the transporters in Kosovo face similar challenges with their colleagues in the region because of the EES system.

According to him, although about 2,000 trucks for cargo transport are licensed in Kosovo, the sector remains weak in international transport, as most imports and exports are realised by regional and EU companies.

It is not easy to find drivers for the EU market, as they are for transportation inside Kosovo or the region”, he says.

Speaking to Radio Free Europe, Sasho Ilievski, owner of the company “Stema Transport” in Skopje says it is not directly affected by new regulations since its trucks travel to the nearest EU states but adds that he will support colleagues in the protest.

Our “travel takes place mainly in Austria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary. For each trip, we stand at between four and five days”, he says.

However, there are companies that operate deeper within the EU... entering Sweden, Norway, Portugal. For a trip, they spend 15 to 20 days inside the EU. When they return, they are not allowed back in that month. And if they don't travel again, the company and business are losing, as drivers cannot meet their professional obligations at that time. They are not tourists, they are professional drivers and should be allowed to stay longer”, Ilievski adds.

Before the electronic system went into effect, EES, Macedonian carriers had no problems, even though the 90-day rule of staying in the Schengen area was in effect.

Customsmen sealed passports, but did not count days and often “looked through” fingers, says Ilievski.

But, since the start of functioning of the EU electronic system, attitudes in the Schengen area are more strictly monitored.

The computer with biometric data accurately sums up all days from time spent on travel, parking holidays to waiting at the border.

All those who travel deeper within the European Union will stay more days. This affects some 70 percent of companies in the country. Colleagues in Sweden, for example, can't get back soon... The driver runs the vehicle in nine hours a day and then needs to rest. The rest it takes is within the EU and is considered the position, even though it is not working”, Ilievski says.

Therefore, we ask the EU to exclude transport companies. Drivers should either prolong their stay or only calculate their working hours”, according to him.

Macedonian transporters will block ten border checkpoints bordering Bulgaria, bordering Greece, bordering Albania and bordering Kosovo.

The Tabanovc border checkpoint will not be blocked by Macedonians, but by Serbian carriers on their side of the border, which have already blocked other points.

The blockades apply only to freight traffic, closing lanes and terminals for trucks, while vehicles common, buses and passenger traffic will move without obstruction.

In northern Macedonia, mobilization for blockades was organised by “Makam-Trans” the country's largest transport company employers association.

Bilana Muratovska, secretary general of “Makam-Trans”, says Macedonian drivers, as well as others in the region, face the risk of deportation after the 90-day stay in the Schengen area.

Earlier, Bosnia and Herzegovina's Logistic Consortium announced that 100 professional drivers have been forced back from EU countries, while 47 drivers have lost their jobs due to problems with staying in these countries.

We have such cases. I don't have a precise number, but a difference has to be made... for example, the transportation fleet in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Serbia is much bigger than our”, Muratovska says.

She adds that the damages for companies are large and cause additional expenses.

When we count the costs that cause us because the tool is left in a parking lot full of goods, which can be very expensive and without protection, and we don't know what will happen to drivers the situation becomes difficult. Drivers are expelled by plane because they do not have enough days to return by bus or their colleagues. These costs hold to the carrier”, Muratovska explains.

EU: Nothing Has Changed With Schengen Rules

System EES sets no new requirements for short stays in the Schengen area, European Commission Home Affairs spokesman Markus Lammert said on January 19th, in response to claims by transport associations from the Western Balkans that the new system is leaving workers and drivers without jobs.

“EES provides better implementation of existing regulations and systematic detection of irregularities”, Lammert said, stressing that the European Commission is closely following the issue of blockades from carriers.

Under the rules, citizens of third visa-free countries have the right to stay in the Schengen area for a total of 90 days within each 180-day period. Every day that exceeds this, it must be covered with long-term visas or permits issued by a member state”, Lammert added.

But, according to Muratovska, even though the EU says the 90-day rule of stay within 180 days has not changed, circumstances have changed.

All European Union member states are currently in the Schengen area plus two countries that are not members of the EU, Norway and Switzerland. Now, no matter how you leave the country, you immediately enter the Schengen area. Therefore, claims that the situation is the same as before are insults to intelligence”, Muratovska says.

The Macedonian government stood up for the country's carriers.

Transport Minister Aleksandar Nikolovski said he understands the uprising and proposed that the problem be solved either by pushing the electronic system for professional drivers, or by giving them the opportunity to obtain working visas. /REL