Transporters write to Tegeltija: If we don't see results by August 15, we will hold you responsible for the escalation of the crisis

(Patria) - Representatives of the Consortium Logistika BiH, which brings together actors from the transport and logistics sector across BiH, have sent an open letter to the Director of the Indirect Taxation Authority (UIO) of BiH, Zoran Tegeltija, in which, among other things, they announced protests and blockades starting September 1.

As they stated, during the previous months, through several direct meetings with UIO BiH experts, they demonstrated full readiness for constructive dialogue and partnership in solving problems that daily threaten their competitiveness and sustainability.

"In the initial phases of the talks, your team gave an impression of expertise, openness, and determination, which we openly and positively conveyed to the members of the Consortium. Based on that, the business community had justified expectations that the agreed measures would be implemented quickly and efficiently.

Unfortunately, the reality on the ground says otherwise. The waiting time at border crossings has now increased to an average of 14.5 hours, double billing for terminal services continues, as do other unforeseen costs, and obstructions in implementing the agreed measures are again present," the Consortium points out.

They add that practice shows that with a change of officials, the rules also change, which they deem extremely unprofessional and unacceptable.

"We demand that all agreed standards apply and be mandatory at all customs terminals in BiH, without exceptions and without personal arbitrariness. Rules must not depend on who is on duty at the terminal that day - they must be systemic, equal, and binding.

The Logistics Consortium of Bosnia and Herzegovina no longer believes in declarative announcements - but exclusively in measurable results and the implementation of agreed procedures. Therefore, on July 25, we informed all political parties in BiH, the local communities where our members operate, the Ministry of Communications and Transport of BiH, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH, and the Governments of the RS and FBiH.

We informed them that we are starting all preparatory activities for organizing protests that will begin on September 1, 2025, and will last until all demands are met. If we do not see concrete results by August 15, we will consider the UIO BiH directly responsible for the escalation of the crisis and the consequences that will follow," they warned.

The Logistics Consortium of BiH also reminded that this sector brings together more than 3,000 carriers with international licenses and manages more than 16,000 vehicles.

"It generates tens of millions of KM in foreign exchange inflows annually, and daily loses thousands of working hours due to inefficiency, inconsistent procedures, and the arbitrariness of officials," they stated.

They then presented their demands:

• Uniform, permanent, and clearly prescribed customs procedures at all terminals;
• Elimination of double billing and unjustified costs for carriers;
• Implementation of the "green lane," digital displays, and standardized controls;
• Measurement of time and performance at all terminals;
• Digitalization of all records (return of empty vehicles, etc.);
• Storage of semi-trailers on wheels and application of interchangeable transport containers;
• Regulated relations with freight forwarders without detriment to carrier efficiency;
• Transparent reporting on the performance of customs services;
• Calculation of damages based on delays, modeled on EU practice - 40 EUR/hour.
• Regulation for the refund of part of excise duties.

"Your institution has data from relevant international studies (EU projects, USAID) that point to catastrophic losses due to the existing working model. For this very reason, we are not asking for anything new - we are asking you to implement what we agreed upon together.

The transport industry no longer has time for experiments. If there is a genuine will to avoid an institutional and social crisis - act immediately," they concluded in the letter.