Nearly 40,000 People Crossed into Montenegro in a Single Day
Croatia opened five lanes at the border, but the Montenegrin side operated with only two. Residents of Konavle distributed water and food to travelers stuck in long lines.
Croatia opened five lanes at the border, but the Montenegrin side operated with only two. Residents of Konavle distributed water and food to travelers stuck in long lines.
The traffic collapse that paralyzed Konavle over the past weekend caused immense pressure on border crossings into Montenegro. According to data from Montenegrin media, citing the RTHN portal, nearly 40,000 people were recorded entering Montenegro on Sunday alone at the Debeli Brijeg and Kobila crossings.
The line of vehicles stretched from the Karasovići border crossing all the way to Ruđer Bošković Airport, i.e., to Čilipi. Travelers waited for hours to leave Croatia, with some waiting ten to twelve hours to cross the border. Meanwhile, the daily lives of local residents were severely disrupted as they found themselves trapped in the traffic jams.
At the Debeli Brijeg border crossing, 31,160 people and 9,631 vehicles were checked upon entry into Montenegro. On the exit from Montenegro, 7,034 people and 2,198 vehicles were recorded. At the Kobila crossing, 8,586 people and 2,448 vehicles were recorded on entry, while 2,394 people and 702 vehicles were recorded on exit.
Interior Minister Davor Božinović commented on the situation on Monday, August 3, 2026, emphasizing that Croatia did everything within its jurisdiction. "As far as the Croatian side is concerned, we had five border lanes open all day. On the other side, toward Montenegro, only two were open. That is a problem in itself," Božinović stated.
The Minister explained that this is an expected seasonal wave of travel, with the vast majority of travelers being citizens of Kosovo and Albania returning home from Western Europe, and this is the shortest route for them. "The Albanian diaspora, whether from Albania or Kosovo, is one of the largest in Europe, and they choose this route for several reasons, primarily because it is the shortest," he said.
Despite the chaos, the residents of Konavle showed great heart. Young people from Pridvorje and Vitaljina took the initiative to distribute water and sandwiches to exhausted travelers, while many locals opened their homes and yards to provide refreshment for families with children.
Božo Lasić, the head of the Konavle Municipality, expressed gratitude to everyone who helped in a statement to Soundset Ragusa. "I want to thank all the well-meaning people who helped yesterday. I want to thank the Civil Protection Headquarters, which did its job flawlessly immediately after activation. I thank the Public Fire Brigade for doing everything that was needed. I thank all the individuals who opened their yards, gave people water, and allowed them to freshen up," Lasić said.
I would especially like to express gratitude to the youth from Pridvorje, who distributed sandwiches to those in line until late last night, and to the young people from Vitaljina, who on their own initiative distributed water. These cases show why it is worth being a municipal head. These are moments when one truly feels grateful to hold this position.
Božinović emphasized that similar situations could recur in the coming weekends, as well as at the end of summer when the same wave of travelers heads back to Western European countries. Talks about potential infrastructure projects that could increase traffic flow in the long term have already begun. The Prime Minister announced infrastructure investments in the far south of Croatia, including a fast road to Čilipi and works aimed at increasing the capacity of the Karasovići border crossing.
The Minister particularly praised the cooperation of Head Lasić and his Civil Protection Headquarters, who, together with the police, worked to alleviate the congestion. "Today, the situation is almost back to normal at that part of the exit from Croatia," Božinović concluded.
