Sat, Feb 11 2012

Greek farmers cause rolling disruptions at Bulgarian-Greek border

Fri, Jan 22 2010 13:34 CET

byThe Sofia Echo staff

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Greek farmers cause rolling disruptions at Bulgarian-Greek border

Photo: БТА

Greek farmers have agreed to lift their blockade of Bulgaria's main border crossing with Greece at Koulata–Promahon for one hour on January 22 2010, Bulgarian news agency BTA quoted Greek media as saying.

As of 11am on January 22 2010, Greek farmers also blocked the Ilinden-Exzohi border crossing. Reports are that the blockade there might be lifted at 5pm on the same day.

Later in the day farmers blocked the Petkov Voivoda-Ormenion border crossing leaving just the Zlatograd-Xanthi border check point working normally.

Hundreds of lorries have been blocked on the Bulgarian side of the border crossing since January 18 after Greek farmers blocked the road on the Greek side demanding higher subsidies from the Greek government.

Besides the border crossing with Bulgaria, Greek farmers have blocked those with Turkey, Albania and Macedonia. Blockades are occasionally and randomly lifted for short periods of time by farmers.

On January 22 2010, the crisis headquarters set up by Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov to deal with the situation decided to strengthen the veterinary and heath control on the border as some of food products transported by the blocked lorries might reach their expiry date.

Meanwhile, Bulgaria continues to count the damages caused to its economy because of the blockade, which had hit logistics companies and the tourism industry.

Borissov was already quoted as saying that Bulgaria plans to ask for 10 million euro in compensation from the European Commission.

Days after the blockade started, Borissov gave the Greek government a January 20 2010 deadline to lift the blockade. Since this did not happen, Bulgaria decided to file a complaint against Greece before the European Commission.

From here on, what follows is a three month period in which the EC will try to influence Greece to change the situation. If this fails to happen, EC president Jose Barroso has the right to send the case to the Court of Justice in Strasbourg, Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) said on January 22 2010.

However, even if the court decides to fine Greece, these funds would not be paid out to Bulgaria, but to the EU budget, BNR said.

BNR quoted one lawyer as saying that Bulgarian companies that sought compensation would have to file individual claims against the Greek government in Greek courts.

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