Blockade at Bulgarian-Turkish Border Lifted

Protesting truck drivers have lifted overnight the blockade of the Kapitan Andreevo and Lesovo checkpoints on the Bulgarian-Turkish border.

The decision was made after Bulgarian Foreign Minister, Kristian Vigenin, announced that the meeting between Transport Ministers of Bulgaria and Turkey will be held on February 17, instead of the 21st as was the prior schedule, and that negotiations with Turkey are near conclusion.

Kilometers-long lines of tractor trailers have been clogging the checkpoints for a number days and nights, triggering huge losses for the carriers. The line at Kapitan Andreevo reached 10 km, and the one at Lesovo – 7 km.

Vigenin stated that the Turkish Minister has committed to an entirely new approach to the issue.

In end-January, over a quota dispute, Turkey declared invalid the one-time transit permits issued to Bulgarian carriers and Bulgaria responded with a reciprocal measure.

As a result, tractor trailers of mainly small and medium-sized companies have been stuck at the Bulgarian-Turkish border for over ten days.

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