site.btaGreek Government Asked to Open Up Corridor through Border Blockade

Greek Government Asked to Open Up Corridor through Border Blockade

Sofia, February 2 (BTA) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov had a telephone conversation with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to discuss the problems along the two countries' common border resulting from Greek farmer protests, the Government Press Service in Sofia reported on Tuesday.

Borissov said 1,800 trucks were waiting on both sides of the border as protesters blocked roads in Greece. Hauliers have sustained great losses, he said. The Bulgarian government leader noted that domestic problems should not lead to breaches of the right to free movement of people and goods. He urged Tsipras to take measures and create a corridor for transit traffic.

The matter was also discussed between the leaders of the Bulgarian Transport Ministry and Greek Ambassador to Sofia Dimosthenis Stoidis, who was urged to get his government to open up a corridor for transit vehicles crossing the border. The Bulgarian side expressed deep concern over the difficulties experienced by Bulgarian hauliers. The most serious hindrances have been reported at the border pass between Koulata and Promachonas, where the Greek farmers do not adhere to the protest timetable they have announced, unlike those at the Ilinden/Exochi border pass.

Ambassador Stoidis said he is afraid that the problem cannot be solved quickly. A solution is unlikely until Thursday, when a nationwide strike is planned in Greece, he said.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said Bulgarian Ambassador to Athens Emilia Kraleva has talked with everyone in the Greek government who could help improve the situation and has received assurances of cooperation. Mitov said: "A solution must be found for the people who need to cross the border, those who are coming from Greece to Bulgaria or from Italy to Bulgaria."

"A strike is a strike, but it is not right when domestic problems lead to a breach of the right to free movement," the Foreign Minister further said, adding that Sofia will seek assistance from Brussels. "We understand the difficulty which our Greek colleagues are faced with, but they, too, need to understand us when we say that it is necessary to protect certain fundamental principles and rights in the EU," he said.

Due to the blockade at the Makaza/Komotini border pass, traffic is being diverted through the Zlatograd checkpoint, the regional administration of Kurdjali said, citing information from the Bulgarian Border Police.