The situation at Bulgaria’s border with Greece on 19th of February continues to be tense for the Bulgarian drivers. The queue of lorries on the Greek side is more than 25 km long and stretches to Serres, Northern Greece. Over 20 minibuses are waiting at the front of the queue, most of which with Bulgarian drivers, who said that they could not pass via Macedonia, because they were not allowed through there too. Only pedestrians are allowed though the border.
Bulgarian drivers waiting at Promahon checkpoint complained that they were running out of patience. Some of them have been waiting at the border for several days.
The drivers who blocked the border crossings on the Bulgarian side are adamant that they will not lift the counter-blockade unless the Greek farmers remove the tractors and equipment from the Greek side of the checkpoint.
As all checkpoints along Bulgaria-Greece border are closed for traffic, the only alternative routes to enter Greece are two. The first option is to go via Macedonia, through Zlatarevo checkpoint near Bulgaria’s Petrich, to pass through Strumica or Doiran, get to Gevgelija and go to Greece from there. This alternative route however would extend the trip by 100 km and the traveling time by 1 hour and 30 minutes.
The second alternative route is via Turkey, through Ipsala –Kipi checkpoint. Drivers could enter turkey via Svilengrad and then use E-85 road or E-87 to get to Ipsala and the border crossing with Greece. This route however would extend the journey by 160 km, i.e. by additional 2 hours. Hauliers’ organisations have warned that from this morning Gevgelija and Ipsala were closed for passage of vehicles by protesting Greek farmers.
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