Greek farmers block the Kulata-Promahon border checkpoint

Margarita Dimitrova
m.dimitrova@klassa.bg

The blocking of the Kulata-Promahon border checkpoint is an additional burden in times of economic crisis and rising prices of foodstuffs, stated the Minister of Agriculture and Food (MAF), Miroslav Naydenov in a telephone conversation with Georgia Bazoki, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food of Greece. Mrs. Bazoki assured him that, currently, the entire Greek Government was committed to solving the crisis situation and no escalation would be allowed. Meanwhile, it became known that a few kilometres from the Bulgarian border, the presence of the Greek Anti-riot units was intensified. However, Naydenov was not able to talk over the phone with the Greek Agricultural Minister, Konstantinos Skandalidis because he had departed to meet the protesting farmers. Both are expected to discuss the situation today, reported the MAF. 

Over a hundred protesting Greek farmers blocked yesterday around noon the Promahon border crossing checkpoint. Information was released that the checkpoint will be open for one hour and, afterwards, it will be closed for the same period of time. At 14,30 hrs, however, the checkpoint was closed. As a result of the different submitted signals, AEBTRI (Association of Bulgarian Enterprises for International Road Transport and Roads) advised hauliers to abstain from travelling through Greece. The problem is that, even if they manage to pass through the border checkpoint, trucks might encounter additional blockades inside the country.

Carriers should pass through the Ilinden-Exohi border crossing checkpoint instead, advised the Chief Directorate Border Police. In fact, if the alternate route is used, the distance will increase by around 400 km which burdens hauliers even more.
In January last year, the Greek farmers closed three border crossings including Promahon-Kulata, Ilinden-Exohi and Captain Petko Voivoda – Ormenion. The blockade continued 20 days and the financial losses incurred by Bulgarian business were estimated at tens of million of leva.

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