Long queue of lorries at Bulgarian – Turkish border as border checkpoint revamp begins
A queue of lorries estimated to be 14km long was reported to have formed at the Bulgarian – Turkish border on November 19 2012 as a two-year project to revamp the Bulgarian border checkpoint got underway.
Bulgarian authorities said that steps had been taken in advance to prevent disruption to goods vehicle traffic but Turkish media said that the huge queue had formed on the road from Edirne to the border because of the project, which will see the border post reconstructed and lanes widened.
According to Turkish media, the daily rate at trucks could cross the border at Kapitan Andreevo had been cut in half.
Turkish authorities said that drivers should avoid the Kapitan Andreevo checkpoint and instead use the border crossings at Lesovo and Malko Turnovo.
The renovation project has a budgeted cost of 52 million euro, of which 39.5 million euro is coming from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the rest from the Bulgarian state Budget. The project involves building dual lane entry and exit points, a new customs building, a fire station and a health facility to meet border posts standards for European Union external borders.
Meanwhile, the passage of lorries will be stopped altogether from 11am on November 21 to 6am the following day because of the installation of new software at the Kapitan Andreevo, Lesovo and Malko Turnovo border checkpoints, Bulgarian-language media reports said.
(Photo: ConstantinetheGreat/wikipedia)
