If it weren't for police officers at intersections, the modern "Trojka" traffic lights would stop traffic in KS!

By: Rasim Belko

Once upon a time in Sarajevo, with a little luck and driving around 60 km/h, you could catch the green wave and cross almost half the city without stopping.

Today, thanks to the “modern” traffic lights installed by the “Trojka” government, the same journey feels like a test of endurance – for nerves, vehicle, fuel, and time. Synchronization has clearly been stuck in some earlier planning phase, as it practically doesn't exist in practice.

The paradox of modern Sarajevo is that traffic is no longer regulated by smart systems, but by traffic police officers. Their daily presence on the main city thoroughfare is not a sign of efficient management, but the best proof that the system does not work. If there were no police, the traffic jams would likely be a complete collapse, which only confirms how truly “smart” the “smart traffic lights” are.

It is even more absurd that the same traffic light network was maintained by the same company before, at a time when the green wave worked and when it was possible to move around the city much more normally. The logical question arises: did they forget how to adjust traffic lights, or did someone deliberately decide that the city must slow down? And who exactly benefits from this? Because traffic jams like these are not a coincidence; they are the result of bad decisions, poor planning, or something else.

The problem is further compounded by the fact that traffic lights at some of the most dangerous intersections often break down or are completely turned off, leading to chaos and a serious risk of traffic accidents until the police arrive. In a city that boasts of “modernization,” traffic safety is clearly on hold.

Such traffic jams not only harm citizens' nerves but also the economy. Workers are late for work, deliveries are slowed down, fuel is unnecessarily consumed, pollution increases, and productivity decreases. The time lost in traffic jams is not reimbursed by anyone – it is paid for by citizens, businesses, and ultimately the entire city. At a time when everyone swears by efficiency and development, Sarajevo has a traffic system that works against its own residents.

If this is someone’s idea of modern traffic management, then it is clear that Canton Sarajevo has taken a serious step backward.

One can only hope that in October 2026, the citizens of Canton Sarajevo will give a red light to the “Trojka” government. Otherwise, special tenders for new traffic police officers might need to be issued, because judging by the state of the roads, no one seriously trusts the traffic lights anymore.