Bulgaria’s Economy Minister, Traicho Traikov, informed that Bulgaria is suffering losses in the amount of EUR 3 M per day over the Greek farmers protests.

Traikov spoke in the Parliament Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Bulgaria’s Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, ordered the establishment of a crisis task team with experts from the Agriculture Ministry, Transport Ministry, and the Economy Ministry to evaluate the losses for Bulgaria from the blockade.

The task team set a hotline where organizations and businesses can report their losses. The date will then be processed by the team and the result are to be submitted to the European Commission.

Also on Tuesday, Borisov asked for EUR 10 M in compensations for the incurred losses. He had made the demand during a conversation with the EC President, Jose Manuel Barroso.

Meanwhile, a line of 150 trucks and tractor trailers has formed at the Kulata-Promahon cross border point on the Greece-Bulgaria border Wednesday morning, the border authorities report.

The blockade of the Greek farmers had not been lifted for 30 hours already and since 4 pm Tuesday all traffic has been at a standstill. The demonstrators are using farming equipment to block all access through the cross point.

The local municipalities from the town of Petrich and the city of Blagoevgrad have provided food, water and chemical WCs for the stranded drivers.

The other border cross point Ilinden-Eksohi is also expected to be blocked from 11 am to 5 pm.

The Greek farmers want secure subsidies, guaranteed prices, reduction of their production expenditure and unfreezing of their bank loans.