An association of road hauliers and the Voice of Entrepreneurs association on Monday morning organised a protest, with around 200 trucks partly paralysing traffic in Zagreb by driving at a low speed.

Vladimir Jurcic, vice-president of the association of road hauliers, told state agency Hina that between 150 and 200 trucks were taking part in the protest, organised by road hauliers over their difficult situation.

By driving at a low speed the road hauliers were blocking traffic along the Zagreb ring road, in Slavonska Avenue, Branimirova Street, in the Dubrava neighbourhood and in the neighbourhood of Sesvete.

The protest drive started at 7 a.m. and will last until all trucks finish their routes.

The protesting hauliers said that they were barely surviving in the current crisis, demanding regulation of traffic on the border with Slovenia as hauliers based in central Croatia and Slavonia are suffering huge losses by having to cross the border at strictly set border crossings, which causes additional costs and delays.

The hauliers also demand the cancellation of mandatory membership in chambers, notably the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts, as well as the cancellation of parafiscal levies and of the TV subscription and tourist board membership fees.

They also demand to be included in the government’s aid scheme according to the criterion of decline in business volume and/or revenue and not under the criterion of category of activity, as is now the case.