Bulgaria Urges EU to Help Normalize Traffic at Border with Greece

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has asked the European Commission to help normalize traffic through Greece's border with Bulgaria.

Greek farmers protesting at pension cuts and tax hikes planned by the government in Athens have been blocking crossings at the country's border with Bulgaria for three weeks now. Bulgarian road transport companies, whose trucks have been stranded for days on both sides of the border  have estimated their losses from the blockade at minimum EUR 150 per truck per day. 

Bulgarian authorities have repeatedly called on Greek officials and the European Commission to take measures against the blockade as it is violating founding principles of the EU such as the free movement of people and goods.

In a telephone conversation with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Friday morning, Borisov informed him of the state of play at the crossings on the Bulgarian-Greek border.

Borisov urged the EU executive body to take measures within its powers to normalize traffic along the North-South transport corridor running through the two neighbouring EU member states, according to a statement released by the Bulgarian government press office.  

Borisov has also informed the head of the European Commission that he will take part in the meeting of the Visegrad group of countries next week called in in connection with the migrant crisis.

At the meeting Borisov plans to confirm Bulgaria's view that the EU needs enhanced security at its external borders to stem migrant influx.

Two weeks ago, the European Commission said in a draft report that Greece had "seriously neglected" its obligations to control the external frontier of the EU's Schengen border-free zone. The draft report found failures to...