Western Balkans Freight Carriers Protest New Schengen Drivers’ Stay Rules with Border Blockades 2026

Balgarianovinite.com Representatives of associations of international road freight carriers from Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of North Macedonia have announced a protest at border crossings with neighbouring Schengen countries, including Bulgaria, scheduled for Monday, local media reported.
The protest is being organized in response to restrictions limiting the stay of professional drivers in Schengen countries to a maximum of 90 days within a six-month period, under the new Entry/Exit System (EES) 90/180 rule, introduced in early October 2025. Carriers argue that the new regulation will severely hamper their operations.
According to the organizers, the aim of the protest is to draw attention to the long-term consequences of the new rule for the economies of the European Union Member States that have signed the agreement, as well as for countries not covered by it, once strict enforcement begins on April 10.
The carriers’ associations said that the protest would continue until the issue is resolved, Montenegro’s daily Vijesti reported.
The Ministry of Interior of the Republic of North Macedonia announced that the passage of freight vehicles will be blocked Monday from 12:00 pm (1:00 pm Bulgarian time) at the border crossings Deve Bair, Delchevo and Novo Selo (on the border with Bulgaria); Dojran, Bogorodica and Medzhitlija (on the border with Greece); Kafasan and Blato (on the border with Albania); and Blace (on the border with Kosovo).
The protest will halt the movement of freight vehicles, while passenger traffic will continue without interruption at all border crossings, the North Macedonian Interior Ministry said.
According to the organizers, the protest is planned to last up to seven days, with the possibility of ending earlier if the reasons for it are resolved in the meantime, the Ministry added.
The authorities urged citizens and transport operators to monitor the situation at border crossings, follow official information and, if necessary, use alternative border routes. Western Balkans Freight Carriers Protest New Schengen Drivers’ Stay Rules with Border Blockades 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-01-26 07:25:54 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law