Outgoing Minister of Transport Grozdán Karadzhov: Border Blockades with Serbia and North Macedonia Will Cause Very Big Economic Losses

Vice Prime Minister and outgoing Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdán Karadzhov told journalists at the Sofia Economic Forum that the economic losses for all countries, not just Bulgaria, will be substantial due to the ongoing border blockades with Serbia and North Macedonia.

“Such blockades, besides violating fundamental rights – the right to free movement and the right to transport goods freely – lead to very serious economic consequences, not only for the transport sector but for all other industries dependent on deliveries. In effect, this impacts the entire economy,” Karadzhov said.

Regarding the second day of the hauliers’ protest, which has led to blockades at the borders with Serbia and North Macedonia, he noted that such measures rarely resolve the underlying issues that concern Bulgaria’s neighbouring countries.

“It is far better to sit down and engage with the institutions – in this case, the European institutions. Neither the Bulgarian government nor any other EU member state has a direct role in this decision. That is why it is correct to negotiate with the European institutions to seek a mutually beneficial compromise. There is no need for Serbia and North Macedonia, or their economies, to suffer as much as ours, punishing each other in the process,” he said.

Karadzhov explained that ministers from European countries participate in various transport-related formats and can call on the European Commission to begin negotiations with the two countries as soon as possible, while keeping the borders open until a solution is found. Bulgaria alone does not have the authority to make such decisions.

He added that he plans to request “windows” of open border crossings with his counterparts in Serbia and North Macedonia. However, he expressed concern that this is unlikely to happen, as the right to strike is something local governments can hardly circumvent without risking an escalation of the situation.