As the holiday season approaches, Greek shoppers are once again flocking to Bulgaria, taking advantage of lower prices on fuel, food, and clothing. Farmers in Greece, while continuing their protests, are not blocking the passage of cars this time. Instead, they have adopted a new form of demonstration: blocking toll booths with tractors and forming human chains, allowing free travel on the highways until December 28.

Greek authorities have launched an investigation into the toll booth actions, warning that arrests may follow. Farmers reportedly disabled surveillance cameras to prevent the identification of those involved. Despite the changes on highways, border crossings for trucks remain affected by prolonged blockades.

Greek media report that drivers from Northern Greece are heading to Bulgaria to buy goods and fuel at lower prices, emphasizing that Bulgarian products are of high quality. Many shoppers expressed their wish for lower prices in Greece to reduce the need for cross-border purchases.

Meanwhile, traders in Northern Greece are protesting, demanding special tax statuses to remain competitive with the Bulgarian market. The Prime Minister has called some of the farmers’ demands “unreasonable,” and negotiations have stalled, leaving the cross-border shopping trend likely to continue throughout the holiday period.