site.btaTransport Minister Moskovski Agrees with Bulgarian Road Hauliers to Lift Blockade at Kulata Border Checkpoint

Transport Minister Moskovski Agrees with Bulgarian Road Hauliers to Lift Blockade at Kulata Border Checkpoint

Sofia, February 10 (BTA) - Transport, IT and Communications Minister Ivailo Moskovski has reached an agreement with the Bulgarian road hauliers to lift the blockade at the Kulata border checkpoint to Greece, Moskovski's Ministry said in a press release on Tuesday.

According to the agreement, the border crossing will remain open until the passage of all waiting vehicles, after which traffic will again be let through from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Moskovski informed the road hauliers that he had spoken with the Greek authorities who assured him that the Bulgarian drivers will not be blocked on Greek territory and that passage from Kulata to the Igoumenitsa ferry facility will be uninterrupted. Moskovski urged drivers to alert immediately if they encounter any problems in Greece.

In a press release on Wednesday morning the Bulgarian Interior Ministry said that there are no lines of waiting trucks on the Bulgarian side of the Kulata border crossing. After the checkpoint was opened on Tuesday night, all trucks that had been waiting managed to pass.

The Kapitan Petko Voivoida border checkpoint too is working normally.

For about three weeks now, the Kulata checkpoint and two other crossings on Greece's border with Bulgaria have been blocked and unblocked sporadically by Greek farmers protesting against pension reforms that will increase dramatically their social security contributions.

On Tuesday morning, Bulgarian-plated truck drivers organized a counter-blockade on the Bulgarian side of the border at Kulata, stopping trucks, cars and buses bound for Greece.