Rudozem – Xanthi crossing at Bulgarian – Greek border officially opened for cars, light lorries

The border crossing connecting the Bulgarian town of Rudozem with the Greek city of Xanthi was officially opened on January 20 for passenger cars and lorries of up to 3.5 tons, Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry said.

The first sod of the seventh border crossing with Greece was laid in January 2020.

On the Bulgarian side, the border crossing was completed in 2021, and on the Greek side, towards the end of 2024, but the opening was postponed several times due to the construction of adjacent infrastructure on Greek territory, the Bulgarian Interior Ministry said.

After Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area and on land borders from January 1 2025, passport control at the border crossings located on the border with Greece was abolished, but the Border Guard Service – Smolyan continue to fulfill their functional duties by applying compensatory measures in the border area.

They are ready to carry out border checks again in accordance with Schengen legislation upon temporary restoration of border control, the Interior Ministry said.

(Photo: Interior Ministry)