Croatia bans entry of Serbian-registered vehicles

Serbian citizens could enter Croatia but entry of vehicles with Serbian license plates are banned in a retaliation following Serbia's embargo on Croatian goods, Croatia interior minister said on Thursday.

The decision followed Serbia's announcement on Wednesday on banning entry of Croatian cargo vehicles and products amid rising tension between the two neighboring counties over the flow of migrants across their border.

Serbia's move was taken in response to border restrictions that had been imposed by Croatia. Croatia on Sunday night closed Bajakovo-Batrovci crossing, the only open border crossing among eight with Serbia since refugees flooded the country, to trucks from Serbian side, after its neighbor "intentionally" redirected refugees to the country.

Serbia complained to the European Union on Croatia's move, accusing Croatia was waging a trade war against Serbia.

On Wednesday midnight, the deadline set by Serbia for Croatia to reopen the borders expired, Serbia announced the decision to ban entry to all Croatian cargo vehicles and Croatian-made goods put in force.

Tens of thousands of migrants fleeing conflicts in the world's crisis regions have entered Croatia from Serbia since last week, when Hungary banned their entry by erecting a fence on its border with Serbia. Enditem