The tension on the Bulgarian-Greek border escalated after Greek farmers fulfilled their threat and blocked the movement of heavy trucks through the "Kulata" and "Ilinden" checkpoints.
"Every carrier in this case suffers losses", Yordan Arabadzhiev, executive director of the Union of International Carriers, told NOVA NEWS. He emphasized that in addition to direct financial losses, companies face the risk of fines and sanctions for failure to fulfill contracts on time.
The blockade began in the early afternoon, with the farmers announcing that they would not allow trucks to pass until 8:00 p.m. However, the Union of Transporters hopes that the protest actions will end earlier, as has happened in previous days.
The queues of trucks are not drastic at the moment, as part of the traffic has probably been redirected to alternative routes. However, the situation remains uncertain and creates serious difficulties for the transport industry.
The reaction of the institutions
The Bulgarian side has already notified the Greek Prosecutor General, as well as the European Commission for violating the principle of free movement of goods. However, Yordan Arabadzhiev expressed skepticism about the quick and effective intervention of Brussels, referring to the experience of previous similar crises.
However, the transporters hope for a slight relief due to the upcoming holiday season.
„Long Christmas and New Year holidays are ahead and transport will be slightly weaker for a certain period of time. I hope in the next few days, if a solution is not found, we will see at least a slight easing of the situation”, said Yordan Arabadzhiev.