Border Tense as Serbia, Croatia Block Traffic in Migrants Dispute

Border Tense as Serbia, Croatia Block Traffic in Migrants Dispute

BAJAKOVO, CROATIA—

Tensions on the Serbia-Croatia border are growing in a tit-for-tat blockade sparked by the influx¹ of refugees and other migrants.

Parked cargo² trucks span the border at the main crossing between Croatia and Serbia as trade has become a victim of Europe's migrant crisis.

The backlog³ began when Croatia responded to the cross-border flood of refugees and other migrants by closing all but one crossing with Serbia.

Zagreb banned all trucks from Serbia except perishable⁴ goods, a move that cut off Serbian trade links to much of Europe.

Belgrade responded with its own embargo⁵ on imports from Croatia.

Not to be outdone, Croatia issued a block on all vehicles registered in Serbia, bringing traffic to nearly a full stop.

The trade war revives bitter rhetoric⁶ and memories between neighbors who only two decades ago fought a real war.

While a slow trickle⁷ of vehicles is crossing the border from Croatia into Serbia, the truck drivers here all say the same thing: They've been stuck two or three days because of the political situation. And, in the meantime, they're losing money.

1 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

2 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

3 backlog   

n.积压未办之事

参考例句：

• It will take a month to clear the backlog of work.要花一个月的时间才能清理完积压的工作。
• Investment is needed to reduce the backlog of repairs.需要投资来減轻积压的维修工作。

4 perishable   

adj.（尤指食物）易腐的，易坏的

参考例句：

• Many fresh foods are highly perishable.许多新鲜食物都极易腐败。
• Fruits are perishable in transit.水果在运送时容易腐烂。

5 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

6 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

7 trickle   

vi.淌，滴，流出，慢慢移动，逐渐消散

参考例句：

• The stream has thinned down to a mere trickle.这条小河变成细流了。
• The flood of cars has now slowed to a trickle.汹涌的车流现在已经变得稀稀拉拉。