A major border crossing between Croatia and Serbia experienced severe congestion during peak summer travel, leaving motorists stranded for extended periods in dangerous heat conditions. The Bajakovo-Batrovci crossing, one of the principal transit points between the two Balkan nations, saw traffic buildup in both directions as holiday travelers moved between the two countries. Vehicles heading from Croatia into Serbia faced queues extending up to seven kilometers with wait times of up to eight hours, while temperatures climbed above 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Travel in the opposite direction, with vacationers entering Croatia from Serbia, also contributed to the bottleneck.
The congestion affected travelers across multiple days, with significant delays occurring on both Friday and Saturday as peak summer tourism flows converged on the crossing. Many motorists reported exhaustion and frustration after spending hours in stationary traffic. One traveler from Turkey expressed the toll the delays took, noting fatigue, hunger, and thirst after waiting for several hours. A frequent border crosser remarked that the conditions were unprecedented in his experience.
Border traffic between EU member Croatia and non-EU member Serbia typically intensifies during holiday periods, with particular peaks occurring during major travel weekends. The crossing coincided with the operational deployment of the European Union’s Entry-Exit System, a biometric screening mechanism designed to replace traditional passport stamping procedures. While this system has been suspended in certain locations previously to accelerate processing of non-EU visitors, officials have not definitively established whether the new screening system contributed to the extended delays observed on Saturday.
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