Hundreds of trucks blocked the Svilaj border crossing between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia on Monday, forming kilometres-long queues as transport operators protested against European Union rules they say restrict their working time and threaten cross-border trade.
The blockade brought freight traffic to a standstill at one of the main transit points linking the Western Balkans with the EU, causing significant delays in the movement of goods.
Truck drivers said the new EU regulations on the duration of stay and work conditions for non-EU transporters make it increasingly difficult to operate in European markets, warning that the measures could disrupt supply chains and increase costs for regional trade.
Transport associations in Bosnia and Herzegovina have previously raised concerns that stricter enforcement of visa and stay rules for drivers undermines the competitiveness of local logistics companies that depend heavily on EU routes.
Authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia have not yet issued detailed statements on the disruption.
The protest follows similar warnings from regional transport companies that tighter EU mobility rules could have wider economic consequences for the Western Balkans, where trade flows are closely tied to access to the European single market.