Border chaos: Travelers face 12-hour waits at Croatia-Montenegro crossing

An overwhelming number of travelers faced extreme delays at the Karasovići border crossing with Montenegro this weekend, with some waiting over 12 hours to exit Croatia. Traffic jams stretched more than 20 kilometers, reaching as far as Čilipi, effectively cutting off the Konavle region from the rest of the country.

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This is a disgrace that in a region that brings money to the state, nothing has changed. This is a stagnant situation that has been going on for 30 years.

The situation was made worse by high temperatures, leading firefighters from Konavle to distribute water to stranded motorists. Local residents also opened their homes to allow people in the long queues to use their facilities. The head of the Konavle Municipality activated the Civil Protection Headquarters due to the extraordinary situation, highlighting the severe disruption to daily life.

Many travelers expressed frustration. "This is a disgrace that in a region that brings money to the state, nothing has changed. This is a stagnant situation that has been going on for 30 years," said local resident Đuro. Foreign tourists also voiced their disappointment, with one stating, "We have been coming to Italy for 25 years and have never experienced anything like this. A disgrace for this country."

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We have been coming to Italy for 25 years and have never experienced anything like this. A disgrace for this country.

Families with children found the extended waits particularly difficult. "Sixteen hours of waiting is really too much. I have a child with autism, and waiting in these conditions is very hard for him," said Vera from Montenegro. Residents of Karasovići also reported disturbances in their homes due to the noise and tension from the traffic jams, describing it as "terror" that prevents normal functioning.

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Sixteen hours of waiting is really too much. I have a child with autism, and waiting in these conditions is very hard for him.

The Dubrovnik-Neretva Police Department acknowledged the weekend as one of the busiest of the year, with over 40,000 vehicles passing through the crossing daily. They emphasized that the main issue is not border control efficiency but inadequate road infrastructure. "The problem is primarily with the road infrastructure. Large queues form already at the exit from the highway, at Karamatići, and then they descend in a long line towards the border crossing. We have the infrastructure that exists," stated Antun Ljubić from the Border Service.

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This is simply terror because we cannot function normally. We are awake all night, police sirens are constantly heard, people are arguing, and there is a lot of nervousness.