Minister of European Affairs Gergana Grancharova is to visit the Kalotina border checkpoint this evening to personally inspect the closing of the free shops there. Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia Photo Agency)
Duty-free shops in Bulgaria are to close Wednesday, as the measure was initiated after the European Commission criticized Bulgaria for failing to achieve progress in the fight against corruption and organized crime.
The EC had pointed explicitly to the duty-free stores on Bulgaria's external EU borders as pockets favouring and aiding organized crime activities.
Minister of European Affairs Gergana Grancharova is to visit the Kalotina border checkpoint this evening to personally inspect the closing of the free shops there.