Skopje, 26 January 2026 (MIA) - This warning is timely, and I believe that February and March should be tapped into completely, so that Schengen area members find a solution, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski who visited the Blace border crossing on Monday to give full support to transporters who began a seven-day blockade together with associations of professional drivers from the Western Balkans, seeking a solution to the problem related to the registration of Schengen stay in line with the rule 90/180 days for professional drivers as of April 2026.

"In essence, there are three possible solutions. The first solution is to postpone the implementation of the new Entry/Exit System (EES) rules for transporters. The second solution is to increase the number of days, allowing transporters to stay in the Schengen area for at least 250 days, appropriately distributed in cycles, instead of the current 90/180 days. The third solution is to treat professional drivers and transporters not as tourists, but as professionals. This could be arranged through special rules or through work visas, as Switzerland currently does, which would allow them free transit through the Schengen countries," said Nikoloski. 

Anything other than this, Nikoloski added, will have major consequences - not only for the Macedonian and regional economy, but also for the European economy.

"We should not forget that the majority of foreign investments in Macedonia, as well as in the entire region, come precisely from the members of the Schengen area and the European Union. Semi-finished products are most often produced here and then exported to the countries from which the investors come, where they are processed and become final products. We should not forget about agricultural products, we should not forget about transit, we should not forget about what Greece produces and and then exports to the north. We should not forget the main trade corridor of Central and Southeastern Europe - Corridor X, which is the economic bloodstream of the entire region. Therefore, I appeal and once again urge for careful consideration of this issue," Nikoloski pointed out. 

He noted that efforts have been made to present these issues to representatives of the European Commission for years, but to no avail.

He added that he has already held talks with Greece's Minister of Transport, and he will make attempts to discuss the issue with Bulgaria, though a caretaker government is currently in place there, while on Wednesday he is heading to Zagreb for talks with his Croatian counterpart.

"These are countries that are members of the Schengen area, our direct or indirect neighbours, and they can bring additional pressure into resolving the issue," Nikoloski said.

The association of transporters "Makam-Trans" hopes European countries will recognize the concerns of professional drivers. 

"This is a professional activity - transport. Professional drivers work in their own country, their vehicles are registered in their own country, so it can simply be said that in this way, Europe wants to prevent us from working," said "Makam-Trans" secretary general Biljana Muratovska, noting that bilateral agreements have been signed in the area of transport with each country, allowing access and movement on their territory.

She pointed out that this was major discrimination against road transport because under the current regulation, the European Union has exempted every other type of transport, including ship, rail and public transport, from counting the duration of stay.

"The point is not to stall our own economic activity, but to show what can happen in a certain period of time. When Turkey and other countries join, there will be over a million tons of goods moving or waiting, and that should be a clear signal to everyone. But we cannot set up blockades for months, nor do we want to harm our producers, traders and the population. If a solution is not found, other forms of pressure will be sought. If the European Union cannot take this situation for a month, then it is clear that these measures cannot last longer," Muratovska said.

She added that if their demands are not met by April, they will not hold protests because the trucks will be there, but there will be no one to drive them. "Then the consequences will be far more extensive and felt far and wide," Muratovska stressed.

Photo: MIA