BULGARIAN ROAD HAULIERS THREATEN COUNTER-BLOCKADE IF PROTESTING GREEK FARMERS BLOCK THE BORDER

The Bulgarian road hauliers said they would stage a counter-blockade if the Greek farmers decided to go on strike and closed the border check points, the executive director of the Bulgarian Association of International Carriers, Yordan Arabadzhiev said on 18th of January. The reason is that the Bulgarian transport companies suffered huge losses during the Greek farmers’ protests in 2016.

Bulgaria’s outgoing Minister of Interior Roumyana Bachvarova visited Kulata border checkpoint and said that the MoI was in constant contact with the Greek authorities to receive advance information about the possibility of protests.

If the stated intentions by the Greek farmers for planned protests and new blockades at the border go ahead, the Bulgarian transport carriers decided to proceed with counter-blockade.

Arabadzhiev said that would include not allowing import or transiting of Greek agricultural products and fish on the territory of Bulgaria.

The Greek farmers’ blockade of 2016 resulted in financial damage to Bulgarian companies estimated at more than 20 million euro. The blockade lasted more than 30 days.

The Bulgarian hauliers have sent a statement to the Chief Prosecutor and the Greek Head of Police, urging them to act to prevent the border blockade.

They insist that the Greek government fulfil its commitments and comply with the fundamental principle of the EU for free movement of people and goods.