Greek border police said they would join their country's farmers and launch a strike of their own, closing all Greek border points on February 4 and 5, Bulgarian media reported on February 3 2010.. This comes only a day after European Commission president Jose Manuel Barosso declared that the EC would implement "all legal means possible" to ensure that the movement of goods and services across the border is not obstructed.
Greek border police cited discontent with their government's policies on a number of issues, including taxation.
The Macedonian foreign ministry has received an official warning from the Greek border police that its borders will be shut for two days. No such warning was apparently given to the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry.
The Romanian and Macedonian foreign ministries have warned their citizens to "avoid travelling to Greece" in response, Dnevnik daily reported.
While the blockade by Greek farmers and the strike by border police are not directly connected, both groups have expressed their disapproval with the Greek government.
Reportedly, the farmers no longer regard Greek agriculture minister Katerina Batzeli as a legitimate party in the negotiations. The apparent snub means that they now wish to have a direct channel of conversation with prime minister George Papandreou.
In a phone conversation on February 2, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov also told the EC president that if the crisis is not resolved soon, the Bulgarian Business National Association has threatened to shut the Greek border on February 3 2010.
In response, Barosso congratulated Borissov for his "constructive approach to the crisis" and promised that the EC will use "any legal means possible" to help end the problem.
In his assessment, Barosso believes that it would be "better to resolve the problem without lengthy legal procedures that would not be in the interest of any of the parties involved".
Meanwhile, 500 lorries are stuck at the Kulata-Promahon border, forming a queue of more than 10km, the Bulgarian news agency (BTA) was quoted as saying on February 3 2010.
In fact, the line of waiting lorries is reported to be longer on February 3 than it was on February 2. Private vehicles and buses are allowed to pass through the Ilinden and Exohi checkpoint where, for the time being, all traffic is able to pass freely.
by Nick Iliev
source: www.sofiaecho.com
Traffic is also normal at the Zlatograd- Xanthi and Captain P Voivoda and Ormenion checkpoints.
03.02.2010
