Truck Blockade at Bulgarian-Turkish Border Continues

The truck blockade at the Bulgarian-Turkish border continues for a second day.

Representatives of small and medium-sized carriers blocked the processing of trucks to oppose the lack of transit traffic permits. Only cars and busses are allowed to cross the Bulgarian-Turkish border, according to Darik radio. Representatives of major carriers are expected to join the protest on Tuesday.

Around 70 Turkish TIR trucks are stuck at the Kapakule border crossing point and about as many trucks remain blocked at the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing point, while a 8km truck queue obstructs the Hamzabeyli-Lesovo border crossing, according to reports of the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR).

Tension escalated at 4am on Tuesday, when three people were injured after trucks of a Peshtera-based Bulgarian company broke through the blockade at Kapitan Andreevo.

Two trucks passed at high speed, hitting protesters.

Later on, truck drivers from the same company attacked and beat one other protester, according to witness reports.

Police in Haskovo confirmed the incident.

Turkish truckers complained that Bulgarian authorities had stopped allowing trucks with valid permits to pass as of Monday.

Turkish authorities insist that they were promised 125 000 transit transfer permits by Bulgaria and were only granted 5000, according to reports of dnevnik.bg.

On 21 February, the transport ministers of Bulgaria and Turkey are to hold a meeting over the dispute but carriers hope that the dispute will be resolved by then.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!