site.btaPM Reacts Sharply to "Inadmissible" Blockade of Border by Protesting Greek Farmers

Prime Minister Borissov Reacts Sharply to "Inadmissible" Blockade of Border  by Protesting Greek Farmers

Brussels, February 18 (BTA Correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov) - Prime Minister Boyko Borissov Thursday discussed the situation on the Bulgarian-Greek border with the newly elected head of Greece's New Democracy party, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, within a meeting of the European People's Party members in Brussels, GERB's press of reported. The two also discussed the bilateral relations and the political situation in the two countries.

"We do not support any blockades. I hope that the situation will be resolved in the shortest term possible," Mitsotakis said. Borissov described what is happening at the border as inadmissible and said that from here onwards Bulgaria's position on the blockade of the border crossings will be firm and aimed at their the checkpoints' opening as quickly as possible, so that the free movement of people and goods is not hindered.

Borissov noted how he defended Greece at Monday's Extraordinary Summit of Visegrad Four in Prague, how he insisted for assistance from the EU. At the same time, for a month now, Greece has not interfered in any way for the unlawful closing of the Bulgarian border by the protesting Greek farmers, Borissov said. He recalled the two phone calls he had with his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras and the efforts of the Bulgarian ministers of foreign affairs, of transport and of the interior, to solve the problem with the blocked border.

The Bulgarian Prime Minister said that his country's position has become firmer. "The matter is not the money Bulgaria loses. We perceive this as an act aimed at Bulgaria because checkpoints with other countries are not closed," Borissov said.

The Bulgarian Prime Minister also said that he has talked with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and urged for EC representatives to visit the Bulgarian-Greek border to see for themselves the situation of the Bulgarian drivers on Greek territory.