Many Macedonians face difficulties in getting Bulgarian visas, Macedonian daily Utrinski vestnik reported.

Macedonians have to wait more than two months and prepare large number of documents in order to get a tourist or business visa. The only alternative for them is to use the services of tourism agencies, which claim ability to obtain visa in few days.

As a result of visa problems, the number of Macedonians, who visited Bulgaria in January 2007 decreased by 80 per cent, Utrinski Vestnik reported.

According to Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, the number of Macedonians who have crossed the three bordern checkpoints with Bulgaria in January is five times lower compared to figures for December.

Businessmen from both countries said that this is a temporary problem but tourism industry has already experienced great losses.