Transporters, freight forwarders, and other local businesses, who have been recording losses for months due to the closure of the border crossing in Karakaj, will benefit from the reopening of the Šepak bridge for trucks, which not only ensures faster transportation of goods but also brings more business opportunities.
The bridge at the Šepak border crossing, connecting Zvornik and Loznica, i.e., Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, was opened for freight traffic on Monday following the initiative of the city of Zvornik and the Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH, with the approval of all relevant authorities.
This border crossing, previously designated exclusively for international passenger traffic, has been temporarily reclassified to allow freight transport, including goods subject to inspection controls, except for those subject to excise taxes.
Zvornik Mayor Bojan Ivanović told “Glas” that opening the bridge is particularly important for transporters and freight forwarders in the Birač region, as the closure of traffic across the Karakaj bridge, which has been shut down since April 8, has caused significant problems.
- Freight traffic across the Šepak bridge will be temporary, that is, until the reconstruction of the bridge at the Karakaj border crossing is completed, which we expect to happen no later than spring. Allowing trucks to cross the Šepak bridge is of great importance for Zvornik and the local economy, as it revives many businesses – said Ivanović.
He noted that numerous freight forwarding companies, around twenty of them, operate at the Karakaj customs terminal, along with a significant number of hospitality and retail businesses, as well as gas stations.
- Many of these businesses operated at reduced capacity over the past months, forcing some to close, others to downsize their workforce, and some to relocate to the Bratoljub border crossing in Bratunac. Unfortunately, some residents lost their jobs due to the closure of the Karakaj bridge, but this was unavoidable, as there was no alternative for reconstruction given the damage to the structure, which required a complete traffic halt – Ivanović explained.
Secretary of the Traffic and Communications Department at the Bijeljina Regional Chamber of Commerce, Srđan Ostojić, stated that temporarily allowing truck traffic through Šepak is most beneficial to transporters but also to citizens.
- Anyone who has traveled to Serbia in recent months has faced significant congestion, especially at the Rača border crossing, which was already overloaded. Diverting trucks from Karakaj added to the traffic jams, slowing down freight transport as well as passenger traffic. Enabling freight traffic through the Šepak bridge will ease the burden for everyone. Importers and exporters will see reduced costs, as delays at borders increase transport costs, especially given the shortage of drivers – Ostojić told “Glas.”
He added that on Sunday evenings, trucks from Serbia often line up at Rača to be ready for customs clearance on Monday morning.
- All those drivers need to be paid. Before the issue at Karakaj arose, it was normal for Rača to have no Monday morning congestion. And it’s not just companies in Semberija and Birač that are affected but also those in the Federation of BiH and Krajina, which now handle customs clearance at Rača or Bratoljub – Ostojić emphasized.
Working hours
The Šepak border crossing is open for freight traffic every weekday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. On weekends, it operates from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Restrictions and capacity
The Zvornik City Administration informed transporters that no more than two trucks may be on the bridge at the same time and that stopping or parking freight vehicles on the bridge is prohibited.
- The maximum vehicle weight allowed for crossing is 44 tons, with a maximum axle load of nine tons – the city of Zvornik announced.
Source: RTRS
