SOFIA
Bulgaria will tighten border control checks on passenger lists, insurance documents, schedules and toll roads on Turkish trucks and buses from Tuesday in accordance with an European Union (EU) directive.
The queues of waiting vehicles at Lesovo and Kapitan Andreevo crossing gates has already reached 10 kilometres in length.
Turkey and Bulgaria closed the border last week after Sofia approved only 5,000 of the 125,000 transit permits requested by Turkish trucks at the beginning of the year.
The two states have not reached an agreement on the quota of transit pass permits. Neighboring countries will hold a ministerial level meeting on this quota issue on February 21.
Bulgarian Transport Minister said on Monday that Bulgaria will apply to the European Commission (EC) in the case of a deadlock and lack of good faith from Turkey.
The case is no different on the Bulgarian side. Bulgarian truck drivers on Monday demanded the temporary permits ahead of the February 21 meeting in Ankara which will try and find a permanent solution to the crisis which has led to kilometres of tailbacks at the Kapikule border gate.
As an alternative solution, Turkish truck drivers have since turned to alternative routes by sea, and by land through the Ipsala border gate with Greece.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
