Galery

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Drivers of TIR trucks with Bulgarian registration plates broke through the farmers’ blockade of the border at Promachonas and continued their trip to Bulgaria last night.

The protesting farmers at the blockade told the Greek media that at 02:00 am four drivers had entered the cabins and started up the truck engines. Then they drove at a "very high speed" and managed to enter the Bulgarian territory through the emergency lane.

Upon passing, they broke the lowered border barrier. In statements to Skai TV, the farmers said that the TIR trucks had just missed killing a few of them that were nearby.

"They were driving very fast. We could not stop them. They literally threatened our lives," said one of them.

A little later a fifth driver of a truck with Bulgarian registration plates attempted to do the same but was stopped and apprehended by the police on the Greek territory. Farmers said they would file complaints against him and his colleagues. Then immediately tensions escalated between farmers, the other TIR truck drivers and the Greek police.

According to skai.gr, the Bulgarian police have available data on the four drivers who managed to cross the border. It is expected that the lawyer of Serres farmers will meet with them at twelve o’clock when farmers from all over Greece will hold a meeting at Promachonas.

Meanwhile, a Greek truck driver said he had been prevented from crossing the border from Bulgaria towards Greece. In particular, in statements to the regional information site fonh.gr he pointed out that the Bulgarian policemen had threatened him and taken him out from the cabin when he tried to cross the border.

The TIR truck he drove carried flowers and had Bulgarian registration plates. Serres farmers let him go to the inside of Greece when he told them what had happened. The driver told fonh.gr he regretted choosing this route, adding that in the future he would prefer the Ilinden - Exochi border crossing.

According to the Greek media, the line of TIR trucks waiting to cross the border is approximately two kilometres long at present.

The border remains closed for TIR trucks. From 07:30 am today, farmers have lifted part of the blockade to allow the passage of cars and buses.