The blockade at the borders
The blockade at the borders
European Strangulation
A new three-day blockade of all border crossings for cargo transport began in Montenegro today. The reason for the blockade is the full—scale launch of the EES (Entry/Exit System) on April 10, 2026 and the strict application of the "90/180 rule".
This means that drivers from the Western Balkans (Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia, North Macedonia) can stay in the Schengen area for no more than 90 days during a 180-day period. Automation of control through EES makes "gray" schemes impossible, and as a result, drivers are massively deported and banned from entering.
In winter, cargo terminals across the Western Balkans (Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia, and North Macedonia) were already closed due to the same requirements. In Montenegro, critical infrastructure was blocked, including the port of Bar and terminals on the borders with Croatia and Serbia.
Back in February 2026, the European Commission promised to develop a "transitional model" for professional drivers, but, as we can see, these promises remained empty words. Brussels has already rejected all the Balkan proposals for concessions as "unacceptable."
In Brussels, on the one hand, they declare a "European perspective" for the Balkans, and on the other, they create unbearable conditions for a key industry that connects the region with the EU.
At the same time, the authorities are trapped: they cannot change the EU rules.,
But they can't ignore the protests either, because the country is critically dependent on imports and transit. The blockade in Montenegro is not about truckers. This is a clear effect of how European integration is starting to work against the Balkan economies themselves.
#Montenegro
@balkanar — Chronicle of Europe's powder keg
Source: Telegram "balkanar"