BTA :: Bulgaria, Turkiye to Work in Sync to Expand Malko Tarnovo – Derekoy Border Checkpoint

Bulgaria, Turkiye to Work in Sync to Expand Malko Tarnovo – Derekoy Border Checkpoint - PM Glavchev

Konstantin Karagyozov

Council of Ministers Photo

Malko Tarnovo, Southern Bulgaria,

03.06.2024 20:50

(BTA)

Caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev and Turkiye's Ambassador to Bulgaria Mehmet Sait Uyanik visited the Malko Tarnovo - Derekoy checkpoint on Bulgaria's border with Turkiye on Monday. The visit was a follow-up to their working meeting in end-May, where the two sides discussed the heavy road traffic, congestion and the need to expand the border crossing point.

Glavchev said that Bulgaria has Turkiye's agreement for the two countries to work in sync to expand the checkpoint.

The visit also included caretaker Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Violeta Koritarova, Tourism Minister Evtim Miloshev, Environment and Waters Minister Petar Dimitrov, Customs Agency Director Georgi Dimov, Bulgarian Border Police Director Anton Zlatanov, Burgas Regional Governor Mariya Neykova, Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov, and Malko Tarnovo Mayor Iliyan Yanchev.

The Turkish side presented a project for expansion of the Derekoy checkpoint. According to Glavchev, before synchronising the projects of the two countries, a public discussion should be held in Bulgaria on whether to allow the passage of trucks through the Malko Tarnovo checkpoint. The project must comply with all legal provisions and Natura 2000 requirements, as some of the sections are on the territory of the Strandja Nature Park.

In the next days, Glavchev will also visit the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing, which according to the Customs Agency is the second busiest in the world with a tendency to take the first place in 2 or 3 years. For Kapitan Andreevo there is also an agreement with Turkey for synchronised action on its expansion and modernisation.

/DS/