A woman from Bihać has published a video on the social media platform TikTok in which she expresses her dissatisfaction with the procedure of taking photographs at the border. In the post, she addresses Croatian authorities and the public, calling for the abolition of the practice, which she considers unnecessary and insulting to travelers crossing the state border.
She describes the situation as highly uncomfortable, highlighting in particular her interaction with a border official. According to her, the official asked her to show her visa, which led to an additional check of her identity and the taking of a photograph. Although she did not specify the details of her documents, she stated that the entire process had stigmatised her in comparison with other travelers.
She paid particular attention to the reactions of other travelers in adjacent vehicles. She notes that travelers with EU documents were openly commenting on her situation, which further exacerbated the sense of discomfort and discrimination during the border procedure. Such behaviour, in her view, contributed to the feeling that she was being treated as a suspect.
The congestion at border crossings, which is more pronounced during the tourist season, further prolongs waiting times. Lejla highlighted that these bottlenecks are the result of the new visa regime at the borders of the EU for citizens from countries not members of the Union. This regime, which includes stricter controls and additional procedures such as photographing, has drawn criticism for creating long queues.
