Today at around noon, 370 heavy vehicles will block all border crossings in North Macedonia. The transport of goods to the European Union and transit through the region will be stopped. Only trucks transporting medicines, live animals, explosives and ammunition will be allowed.

The protest is being held over the new Schengen entry-exit system, which restricts the entry of truck drivers from the Western Balkans. The blockades are planned to last seven days, but protesters are ready to end them if the EU starts negotiations to resolve the problem.

"If on the first or second day a signal is sent to the competent institutions of our state that meetings will be held to find a solution, we will immediately end the blockade. We do not want to cause harm to ourselves or the economy. As a region, we will face a situation where many transporters will seek solutions by transferring capital to other EU countries, which would lead to the collapse of the entire economy," declared Biljana Muratovska, from the Makam-Trans Transport Association.

Transporters warn that if the EU does not find a way to overcome this problem, it will mean collapse for the Western Balkan economy. Transport costs will increase manifold, and with them the prices of products. The Government says that they are in communication with European representatives in order to find a solution and to highlight the problems of transporters, which pose a serious threat to the economy.

In addition to carriers from North Macedonia, trucks from Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina will also be parked at the border crossings. There will be no obstacles to the entry and exit of passenger buses and personal vehicles.