Ilinden-Exohi border crossing re-opens to lorries, road hauliers consider filing collective action against the Greek state

Representatives of Bulgarian road hauliers and businesses consider filing a collective action lawsuit against the Greek state. They are adamant that the closure of the Ilinden-Exohi border crossing for weeks has violated their rights to free movement of people and goods, causing them to suffer losses.

As of today, September 8, the traffic for lorries through the border checkpoint has been restored.

There are several requirements for drivers:

• to provide a QR code
• to submit a Passenger Location Form at least 24 hours before entering the country
• only the driver must be in the lorry, no other passengers.

However, there is no requirement for a negative test for COVID-19.

Business representatives from the region near Bulgaria's border with Greece are pleased with the re-opening of the border crossing. However, they are considering an option to file a lawsuit against the Greek state.

Krastyo Veselinkov from a road haulage company: We will look for a lawyer in European law, and possibly we can file a lawsuit for the lost benefits and damages that were caused to us by closing this checlpoint unilaterally.

Many people from the region go for seasonal work in Greece. However, after the border checkpoint closed, they left and lost their jobs.

The losses for the road haulage companies are still to be calculated, on the basis of which they will make claims to the Greek state.