和谐英语

VOA常速英语:Border Tense as Serbia, Croatia Block Traffic in Migrants Dispute

2015-09-26来源:VOA

BAJAKOVO, CROATIA—Tensions on the Serbia-Croatia border are growing in a tit-for-tat blockade sparked by the influx of refugees and other migrants.
 
Parked cargo trucks span the border at the main crossing between Croatia and Serbia as trade has become a victim of Europe's migrant crisis.
 
The backlog 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 perishable goods, a move that cut off Serbian trade links to much of Europe.
 
Belgrade responded with its own embargo 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 rhetoric and memories between neighbors who only two decades ago fought a real war.
 
While a slow trickle 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.