Accident and Border Delays Cause Major Disruptions on "Maritsa" Highway

A collision between two heavy goods vehicles early this morning has closed the "Maritsa" highway in the direction of Turkey. The incident occurred at kilometer 103 of the highway, near Svilengrad, around 4:00 a.m., according to the Traffic Police in Haskovo.

Initial reports indicate that the crash happened when a trailer blocked the roadway and was struck by a truck traveling behind it. The truck's driver sustained injuries and was transported to a hospital in Edirne. His condition is not life-threatening.

Traffic has been rerouted along a bypass route through Svilengrad and the village of Kapitan Andreevo. However, the temporary traffic organization is adding to the congestion caused by the backlog of heavy goods vehicles on the highway.

Meanwhile, the queue of trucks waiting to cross into Turkey through the Kapitan Andreevo Border Checkpoint remains at about 30 kilometers long, stretching to the junction for the town of Lyubimets. This buildup is linked to the Turkish Kapıkule checkpoint's implementation of phase 5 of the NCTS transit system, which has slowed processing times significantly.