Protesting Greek farmers plan further temporary shutdowns of Bulgarian border
Protesting Greek farmers intend further temporary blockages of border checkpoints with Bulgaria, reports on January 30 said.
Each shutdown is planned to last for about 30 minutes, according to a report by Bulgarian National Radio on Sunday, a day after Greek farmers got around gendarmerie and police to block the Promachonas – Kulata checkpoint at the Bulgarian border for about an hour.
Traffic at the Bulgarian – Greek border was proceeding normally by the early afternoon of January 30.
However, further attempts at border blockades are expected, as part of protests by Greek farmers opposed to tax and social security contribution system reforms and who want higher state subsidies.
Greek police and gendarmerie have been firm in opposing Greek farmers’ agricultural vehicles blocking motorways and borders. The shutdown of the Promachonas checkpoint on January 29 happened after farmers from the area used mountain roads to circumvent police deployed to prevent them obstructing traffic.
The protests began at a symbolic level on January 23, although plans to begin a blockade of the Bulgarian border on that day were postponed because of bad weather and disagreement among farmers about proceeding with blockades.
Greece’s government has called on farmers to negotiate about their demands, while putting forward a proviso that any concessions could proceed only if traffic on Greece’s roads and at its borders is unimpeded by the protesters.
(Screenshot via BNT)
/Panorama
