According to Serbian Economist, the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina are considering the introduction of a temporary duty of 30% on imports of steel and steel products for a period of 200 days. The proposal was prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations at the request of Nova Željezara Zenica, the final decision after public consultations should be made by the Council of Ministers of BiH.
The initiative is explained by a sharp increase in the supply of certain categories of metal products. According to the Ministry, in 2025, imports of reinforcement mesh in BiH increased by 192.87% compared to the average of the previous four years, with Serbia being the largest supplier, with more than 9,000 tons, which is 408% higher than the 2021-2024 average. In second place was Italy (7,794 tons, about double the previous level).
Separately, the dynamics of imports from Turkey are pointed out: the supply of rebar in coils in 2025 increased by 885% relative to the four-year average, while imports of bars increased by 229.56%. The ministry believes that this creates pressure from foreign producers and leads to underutilization of local capacity.
In an explanation of the initiative, the ministry notes the risk of increased dependence of the construction sector on imports and warns of possible consequences, including job cuts, lower budget revenues, falling investment and higher prices on the domestic market.
The decision is being discussed against the backdrop of Serbia’s recent protective measures: as of January 1, 2026, Belgrade introduced a temporary import quota scheme for a number of iron and steel products (as well as Portland cement) with an additional duty of 50% on shipments above the quotas.
Nova Željezara Zenica itself, acquired last year by H&P Zvornik (Pavgord Group), had previously initiated bankruptcy proceedings against the company, explaining that it had been insolvent for a long time.
https://t.me/relocationrs/2256
According to Serbian Economist, the mountain river Drina in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina was again blocked by a large accumulation of floating waste near the barriers of a hydroelectric power plant in the vicinity of the city of Visegrad, media reported, citing local activists and utility services.
During the winter, rubbish washed away by flooded rivers and tributaries accumulates near the protective line of the hydroelectric facility, forming “islands” of plastic bottles and other household and construction waste. Machinery is working to clear the riverbed, but activists note that the problem recurs every year.
Euronews specifies that some of the waste may come from illegal landfills not only in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also in neighboring Serbia and Montenegro, which gives the problem a cross-border character and requires coordination between the countries of the Drina basin.
According to estimates cited in publications, the volume of waste entering the dam area during peak periods can be measured in thousands of cubic meters, with activists claiming that medical materials are also found among the waste.
According to Serbian Economist, associations of truckers from Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia have announced their intention to start protest actions on January 26, 2026, by blocking freight terminals at border crossings in the direction of Schengen countries. The planned actions were reported by regional media outlets, citing statements from the relevant associations.
The carriers cite the practical application and future tightening of controls in connection with the introduction of the Entry/Exit System (EES) as the reason for their actions. According to them, professional drivers from non-EU countries will effectively be subject to the 90-day rule within a 180-day period for short stays in the Schengen area, just like ordinary tourists. Carriers warn that with the “strict” application of the rules from spring 2026, some drivers may quickly exhaust their stay limit, which will create risks for supply chains and freight traffic between the EU and the Western Balkans region.
The European Commission has stated that it is monitoring the situation and is in contact with its Western Balkan partners, while pointing out that the rules for short stays in Schengen are “clear” and that practical decisions at the external borders are the responsibility of the member states.
EES is an automated EU IT system for registering the entry and exit of non-EU citizens on short-term trips, including recording document and biometric data, with the aim of improving the efficiency of external border controls and detecting overstays. The European Commission has announced that the system is being implemented in stages, with full deployment at all border crossing points planned for April 10, 2026, when electronic records are to finally replace stamps in passports.
If blockades are implemented at freight terminals, queues and delays are possible in a number of EU-Western Balkans directions, which may affect the timing of commercial deliveries in the region and throughout Europe.
Blockade, Bosnia, CARGO, Macedonia, MONTENEGRO, Schengen, SERBIA, Trucking company
The pharmaceutical company PrJSC Darnitsa (Kyiv) has registered a drug in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the treatment and prevention of neuromuscular transmission disorders, including myasthenia gravis, stimulation of the intestines and bladder after surgery, and restoration of muscle activity after anesthesia.
According to a press release from the company, the drug was registered at the end of December.
The registration certificate is valid for five years.
As previously reported, Darnitsa also registered an antifungal drug in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Currently, Darnitsa’s drugs are available in more than 20 countries around the world.
Darnitsa has been operating on the market for over 90 years, is one of the ten largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in Ukraine, and produces 180 brands of drugs in 15 different forms. The strategic areas of portfolio development are cardiology, neurology, and pain management.
The net loss of PJSC “Pharmaceutical Firm ”Darnitsa“” (Kyiv) in January-June 2025 amounted to UAH 479.473 million, while in the same period of 2024, the company received a net profit of UAH 6.528 million. According to the Unified State Register of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs, the ultimate beneficiary of the company is Gleb Zagoriy.
According to Serbian Economist, the Croatian parliament has approved a law paving the way for the construction of a radioactive waste management center at the Čerkezovac site on Trgovska Gora Mountain in Sisak-Moslavina County, less than a kilometer from the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
According to the law, the Čerkezovac site will become the central facility for storing low- and medium-level waste from the Slovenian-Croatian Krško Nuclear Power Plant, as well as so-called “institutional” radioactive waste from Croatian hospitals and industry. The site is located approximately 800 m in a straight line from the BiH border and about 1 km from the water intake of the Novi Grad community, which supplies drinking water to about 15,000 people.
The adopted act creates a regulatory framework for the design and construction of the facility and establishes Čerkizovac as a priority location for a waste management center. Geological surveys, seismic risk assessments, and measurements of the “zero” radiation background have already been carried out at the site, as reported by the Croatian side in documents sent to international organizations.
A surface storage facility is planned to operate until the 2090s, after which the waste will be transferred to a deep geological repository.
Strong reaction from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Zagreb’s decision has been strongly criticized by politicians and environmental activists in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The country’s authorities had previously set up interdepartmental expert and legal groups to follow up on the issue at international forums and insist that the facility poses a risk to the Una River, border communities, and drinking water supplies.
Political parties and authorities in BiH consider the law to be a violation of the principles of good neighborliness and are demanding that Croatia reconsider its decision or seek an alternative site, citing, among other things, the Espoo Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context.
The Croatian side, in turn, states that the environmental impact assessment procedure will include the participation of the public and the competent authorities of BiH.
https://t.me/relocationrs/1977
The Finnish group Olvi has signed an agreement to acquire Bosnia and Herzegovina’s largest brewery, Banjalucka Pivara, including its subsidiary in Serbia, according to the Serbian Economist Telegram channel.
The exact name of Banjalucka Pivara’s Serbian subsidiary has not been disclosed. Publications indicate that Olvi has acquired both the brewery itself and its Serbian subsidiary, expanding its presence throughout the Balkan region and gaining access to the markets of Serbia and Montenegro.
Financial and product indicators for Banjalucka Pivara (Bosnia and Herzegovina):
1. Revenue in 2024: approximately €28 million.
2. Profitability: the company is consistently profitable with growing market shares in the region.
3. Brands: including the popular Nektar, the fastest growing in all countries in the region.
By acquiring Banjalucka Pivara and its operations in Serbia, Olvi strengthens its regional network and gains access to the Balkan markets, as well as logistics corridors to Mediterranean tourist destinations.
The merger allows the Finnish company to develop its product range (non-alcoholic beverages, cocktails), strengthening its range at Banjalucka Pivara’s facilities.
The transaction is awaiting approval by the Bosnian antitrust authorities and is expected to be completed no later than the first quarter of 2026.
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs
