RAČIĆ: CURRENT SITUATION SHOULD BE RESOLVED JOINTLY AT REGIONAL LEVEL

BANJA LUKA, JANUARY 27 /SRNA/ – President of the Chamber of Commerce of Republika Srpska Goran Račić told SRNA that blockades of freight traffic at crossings with the EU will create serious problems for the domestic economy, stressing that solutions should be sought jointly at the regional level.

Račić noted that the current situation arose because the necessary steps were not taken by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Communications and Transport in the Council of Ministers Elmedin Konaković and Edin Forto, who are responsible for addressing the issues that led transporters to block border crossings with the EU. He stated that the blockades have caused major problems for the domestic economy, which is oriented toward Western European markets. Račić said that, as a result of the blockades, the economy of Republika Srpska is losing reliability among its Western partners, pointing out that domestic companies are now being forced to register businesses in Slovenia and other EU countries and to shift part of their operations abroad. "Transporters from the region have shown solidarity and blocked border crossings. I would like to urge the competent ministers of foreign affairs and communications and transport, as well as the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers Borjana Krišto to form a joint initiative together with their counterparts from Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia toward the European Commission and neighboring countries, and to place this issue at the focus of all relevant institutions," Račić emphasized. He stressed that there is information indicating that transporters from Serbia and North Macedonia have already registered part of their capacities in Bulgaria. "In this way, not only we, but the entire region, are losing competitiveness and reliability in terms of supply and the maintenance of supply chains necessary for the domestic economy," Račić said. Transporters from the region yesterday blocked freight terminals at border crossings toward the EU, dissatisfied with the new entry regulations into the Union, believing that drivers are now effectively being treated as tourists and demanding to be exempted from the 90/180 rule. President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce Marko Čadež stated that the damage caused by freight traffic blockades at EU crossings amounts to EUR 100 million per day for the economies of the Western Balkans, and EUR 55 million per day for Serbia alone.