site.btaBulgarian-Greek Border Passes Unblocked

Bulgarian-Greek Border Passes Unblocked

Sofia, February 21 (BTA) - All border passes between Bulgaria and Greece were reopened to traffic on Sunday afternoon after a month of tension during which protesting Greek farmers blocked the border on and off, the Interior Ministry in Sofia reported. Two-way road traffic was restored at the frontier checkpoints of
 Koulata, Ilinden, Zlatograd, Makaza, Ivailovgrad and Kapitan Petko Voivoda.

Bulgarian Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski told a news conference in the Black Sea city of Bourgas that the six-day counter-blockade staged by Bulgarian hauliers on this side of the Bulgarian-Greek border was being lifted after it became clear that the Greeks would do the same. Moskovski warned: "If, however, the Greeks block the border again, I cannot honestly say who can bear the responsibility. Things will certainly go
out of control on the Bulgarian side."

He said the deal was struck after the Greek side complained on Saturday that the counter-protestors in Bulgaria were creating a problem. Earlier on, the official Greek authorities admitted the Greek blockade was illegal, but said they could do nothing about it, the minister recalled.

In the hours leading up to Sunday's deal, the long lines of trucks waiting at the border were getting even longer and the humanitarian problem was becoming worse. "People have fainted and ambulances are being called all the time. This must stop," Moskovski said. He noted that half of the waiting trucks were Bulgarian and the rest were from other countries.

The sides had held two unsuccessful meetings on Saturday. One of them involved Transport Minister Moskovski and Greek Ambassador to Bulgaria Dimosthenis Stoidis. There were no other Greek government officials at either meeting, only farmers who did not  offer any guarantees that the border would be reopened
completely and lastingly. The situation prompted Minister Moskovski to exclaim: "I have never seen such a big insult to Bulgarians before."

Hours before Sunday's reopening of the border, Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov told Bulgarian National Radio (BNR): "It is absolutely unacceptable and outrageous to close roads in this way. We cannot let it go on any more." He urged the EU to devise a mechanism to respond to such situations in order to guarantee the freedom of movement across EU borders. Mitov also sees a need for Bulgaria and Greece to work out a mechanism requiring their national governments to keep the roads open, particularly the European corridors.

On Saturday, Moskovski said on BNR that Ambassador Stoidis had assured him that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras would meet with the protesting farmers' central committee by Wednesday. It will then become clear whether the government in Athens will fulfill the protesters' demands or whether the blockade will continue, Moskovski predicted back then. He expressed his concern that EU institutions have failed to intervene more seriously and voiced his bewilderment at the fact that the Greek authorities admitted to the illegitimacy of the strike but the police did nothing to stop it.

Bulgarian Ambassador to Athens Emilia Kraleva told Darik Radio on Saturday that no ulterior motives should be sought behind Greece's  blockade of Bulgaria because the borders with Macedonia, Albania and Turkey were also blocked. "We are the worst hit because traffic is heaviest," the Bulgarian diplomat said. There are blockades on Crete Island and on Greek motorways as well, she said.

Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova expressed a hope on Saturday that Greece would solve the problem soon. She told Darik Radio that this was "an absurd situation." The Tourism Ministry had projected an increase in the number of Greek holidaymakers this winter, which will not materialize.

Talking to Bulgarian journalists at a European Council meeting in Brussels, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said: "I spared no effort to persuade the Greek Prime Minister to intervene more heavily." Borissov also said: "I will refrain from further comment because they are our neighbours and we will live side by side for ages on end."

On Sunday, Petrich-based lawyer Boris Harizanov told BNR he has filed a claim with the prosecution office in Seres, Northern Greece, against the Greek border blockade. Harizanov said that to close the border is a crime under Greek law and he has authorized a lawyer in Thessaloniki to represent him before the Greek authorities. Harizanov urged Bulgarian hauliers to elect their own representatives who can also file a claim with the Greek prosecution service.