site.btaPM Borissov Says If Blockade on Greek Border Is not Over in Two Days He Will not Attend EU-Turkey Meeting

PM Borissov Says If Blockade on Greek Border Is not Over in Two Days He Will not Attend EU-Turkey Meeting

Sandanski, Southwest Bulgaria, February 27 (BTA) - Speaking here on Saturday during a GERB youth conference, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said that if the blockade on the Bulgarian-Greek border is not over in two days, he will consider it as directed against Bulgaria. "I will use my right of veto and will not go to the extraordinary high-level meeting between the European Union and Turkey on March 7," the Prime Minister said. He said that he will go to the border in order to get the attention of all European colleagues so they can see "what kind of neighbors we have".

Borissov said that he has told Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov to get in touch with the European Commission, the European Union and tell them that Bulgaria can not discuss any topics related to Greece, if its border crossings are blocked. He recalled that this country has greatly defended Greek interests in Brussels, with Greece being a neighbour and a partner, as well as that he has worked with a few Greek prime ministers, regardless of their political orientation and that they have enjoyed strong support by Bulgaria.

Borissov sees this as the last resort to put an end to what has been going on for a month already on the Bulgarian-Greek border, which he described as outrageous. The Prime Minister said that prior to the GERB youth conference, he had visited the Kulata-Promachonas border checkpoint, where the Bulgarian border police and customs officers have created a perfect organization. "I stopped by to see the Greek farmers and their police," he said, adding, however, that he did not see a single person by the tractors with whom he could talk.

In a Facebook post, Borissov says that he had, after all, conferred with the protesting Greek farmers. He notes that he told them that what they are doing is completely outrageous, referring to their decisions to bloc the border crossings with Bulgaria. Borissov also reminded the farmers that so far this country has always supported its Greek neighbors and friends at all high-level meetings. "But if they don't resolve their problems as soon as possible, I told them adamantly that I will personally take very serious steps," Borissov notes. "Obviously the diplomacy is not helping. I hope that they will understand me correctly this time," he adds.