The border crossing point at Kulata-Promahon is closed to lorries, Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reported on February 8 2010, although it may be shut to other vehicles later on as well.

Currently, the Captain P Voivoda, Slatograd and Ilinden border checkpoints are working normally. There is no current information, however, as to whether they will be shut later in the day, either partially or fully.

"The status here for the moment is as follows – all traffic, except for lorries, is allowed to pass through at Kulata. The conditions are normal, given the winter and the snow," Todor Georgiev, head of the regional border police, Smolyan department, was quoted as saying by the BNT.

"There are about 75 lorries stranded. We have no idea what will happen later on the Greek side of the border," he said.

Last week, on February 4, Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naidenov and the Greek ambassador to Bulgaria, Magdalini Koumanakou, met to discuss the precarious situation at the Greek-Bulgarian border and the ongoing blockade.

The meeting did not lead to any resolution, however.

If anything, Koumanakou's revelations at the time that the "Greek farmers did not present a single agenda and a united front" mean that the Greek government will find it hard to satisfy the different factions within the agricultural sector, each with their own interests.

"We assured Mr Naidenov that the Greek government is working hard on the issue and we are trying to reach a resolution," Koumanakou was quoted as saying by Bulgarian media.