Police foil new attempt by protesting Greek farmers to block Bulgarian border crossing

Greek police foiled on January 27 attempts by protesting farmers from villages near the Promachonas – Kulata checkpoint to move their tractors to block the border checkpoint between Greece and Bulgaria.

This was the latest episode in a new round of protests by Greek farmers against tax and social security contribution reforms in their country, with actions planned to include blockades of the border with Bulgaria.

Traffic through the checkpoint, the busiest one on the Bulgarian-Greek border, was proceeding normally in both directions, Bulgarian National Radio said on the early afternoon of January 27.

Greek special police forces closed the main E-19 road near the northern Greek city of Serres to prevent a cluster of agricultural vehicles reaching Thessaloniki or Promachonas.

Bulgarian journalists were again expelled from the scene, as the farmers said that they were not welcome in their territory, BNR reported.

The farmers tried to get their tractors to the Bulgarian border crossings, but were told by police that they could face large fines.

Greek police and gendarmerie stood watch over agricultural vehicles gathered at the entrance of Serres.

Further attempts to blocking Greece’s border crossings were expected, reports on January 27 said.

On Friday, protesting Greek farmers mounted blockades in Achaia, in the Peloponnese, and in Arta.

Bulgarian road transport carriers have said repeatedly that if the Greek farmers blockade the Bulgarian-Greek frontier – as they did for more than a month in February 2016, causing Bulgarians losses of several million euro – they will mount a counter-blockade, refusing to allow Greek goods to pass the border.

(Screenshot via BNT)

/Panorama

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