Serbian Villagers Block Road Over Croatian Border Crossing Issues Amid Schengen Rules

Residents of the Serbian villages of Neštin and Vizić staged a road blockade to protest difficulties crossing into Croatia. They say new Schengen rules on stay limits are severely impacting their daily lives and economic well-being.

The villagers are forced to travel through Croatia to reach Bačka Palanka for work, education, healthcare, and agricultural activities. However, each crossing is reportedly counted as a day within the Schengen zone. This has led to many residents exceeding their allowed stay, preventing further border crossings.

Zoran Vujasinović, a local resident, stated that the blockade was a last resort due to a lack of assistance from authorities. The protest, planned to last several hours, may continue in the following days if their concerns are not addressed. The villagers had expected stricter rules to apply only after the ETIAS system was implemented, but claim their days of stay have been tracked since January.

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Nobody is providing us with help, nobody from the municipality of Bačka Palanka has come, and we have nothing left but a blockade.