Peak summer holiday traffic created significant congestion at the Bajakovo-Batrovci border crossing between Croatia and Serbia on Saturday, resulting in substantial delays for motorists. Travelers heading in both directions experienced waits of up to eight hours, with vehicle queues extending approximately seven kilometers. The crossing was particularly congested for travelers departing Croatia into Serbia, while many holidaymakers also attempted to enter Croatia from Serbia, a major tourist destination in the region.
Temperatures during the delays exceeded 95 degrees Fahrenheit, adding to the challenging conditions faced by stranded motorists. Many travelers reported physical exhaustion, hunger, and thirst after extended periods waiting in vehicles. One Turkish tourist returning home after a Croatian holiday expressed frustration after waiting two hours, while a frequent border crosser remarked he had never encountered such severe congestion during his many previous crossings.
Border traffic between the EU member state of Croatia and non-EU member Serbia typically increases significantly during holiday weekends, with particularly heavy flows occurring on August 1 when summer tourists from across Europe and neighboring regions converge at the crossing. While the implementation of the European Union’s Entry-Exit System, a biometric screening procedure that replaced traditional passport stamping methods and has been in widespread use since April, coincided with the delays, authorities did not clarify whether the new system contributed to the extended wait times. The EES system has been temporarily suspended in some countries previously to expedite processing for non-EU travelers.
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