Forto on carrier issues: Issues within our jurisdiction are mostly resolved, we are open to dialogue

(Patria) - The Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina understands the dissatisfaction and concern of the transport sector, especially in the context of announced protests for March 23, 2026. This is a healthy economic sector of Bosnia and Herzegovina facing serious challenges. At the same time, it is important to be precise – a significant part of the demands that the carrier associations currently in focus cannot be resolved by one institution or one level of government. These are issues that involve the jurisdiction of the Council of Ministers, entities and entity governments, the Indirect Taxation Authority, and the European Union, it was announced today from this Ministry.

“What is within our jurisdiction, we have done. And we continue to work for better working conditions for our carriers,” said the Minister of Communications and Transport, Edin Forto.

The Ministry also reminded of all the steps taken to help professional drivers. Minister Forto initiated regional coordination with the Western Balkan countries, sent a request to the Chairperson of the BiH Council of Ministers to hold an urgent meeting with the Government of the Republic of Croatia, as well as a request to the Croatian Government for a more tolerant treatment of our drivers at the Schengen border.

"We held a series of meetings with relevant officials of the European Commission as well as ambassadors of EU member states in BiH, where the minister advocated for a solution to this issue.

They stated that Forto coordinated the first inter-ministerial meeting of the Council of Ministers' working group for resolving this issue, which also included representatives of the Logistics Consortium.

International Transport Permits

- We have initiated the digitalization of CEMT permits and introduced electronic CEMT.
- We have ensured the continuity of permit issuance for domestic carriers.
- We have improved the transparency of the process, and all permits in BiH have been public since 2019.

What's next? Continuation of digitalization and further improvement of transparency.

Digitalization of transport and introduction of the electronic consignment note (e-CMR)

- We have initiated the accession to the e-CMR protocol, conducted consultations, and completed key procedural steps.
- The Presidency of BiH has made a decision to accede to the e-CMR protocol. What's next? Ratification of the e-CMR protocol follows.

Regulatory framework and vehicle registration

- We have introduced the possibility of issuing so-called "third plates".
- We have improved the system of qualification cards and enabled the formation of centers of excellence for training professional drivers.
- We have finalized and published the Rulebook on the registration of professional qualifications (Code 95).
- We have amended the Rulebook on licensing.

What's next? At the minister's order, we are finalizing the analysis to optimize all fees with the intention of reducing costs for carriers where possible.

"The Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina remains open to dialogue, but also clearly states that the key issues within our jurisdiction have been mostly resolved. Furthermore, we appreciate that our carriers will find it difficult to achieve their demands, especially those directed towards the EU, if these protests are not of a regional character, and the damage to the BiH economy will be extremely large. Solutions for other open issues exist, but they require the joint work of all competent institutions as well as a proactive approach from the European Union and member states. In this process, the Ministry, led by Minister Forto, will, as before, be an active and responsible partner to the BiH transport sector," the Ministry announced.