site.btaProtest in Rudozem over Continued Road Closure to Greece
Residents of Rudozem Municipality on Sunday staged a peaceful protest against the closed road on the border with Greece. The road has been under construction for long years and local people had hoped that it would open as Bulgaria joined the Schengen area for border-free travel by land, easing travel to and from Greece. The protest was triggered when the authorities also closed a pedestrian forest road which have been using.
Chepintsi Mayor Riza Brahimbashev stated that the protest was not politically oriented and was addressed entirely against Bulgarian institutions. He pointed out that an invitation had been sent to Smolyan Regional Governor, MPs from Smolyan Region and the mayors of the neighboring municipalities, but none of them came to support the protest.
"We are already in Schengen, yet there are fences and restrictions on our free movement," said a resident from Elhovets village. "This is the shortest route to Greece — we could reach the Aegean Sea in an hour and a half. This road would boost our economy, tourism, and improve connections. Imagine, mornings at the beach in Greece and afternoons in Pamporovo’s mountains."
Another local added: "This road is essential. It facilitates trade between Bulgaria and Greece and is key for tourism. I’ve lived in Madrid for 21 years and crossed every European border without issues - here, it still feels like the past. We’ve been waiting for over 25 years."
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