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Maria S. Topalova

On Friday the PMs of Bulgaria and Greece Boyko Borisov and Giorgios Papandreou will open the new border post between the two countries, which will connect Zlatograd and Thermes. The agreement for the opening was officially signed today by Deputy Foreign Minister of Bulgaria Marin Raikov and the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece Dimitris Drutsas. The two diplomats, who in the near future have great chances to become titular ministers and demonstrated friendly relationship and announced that they had discussed all issues of mutual interest.

    "Work on the implementation of the border post of Zlatograd-Thermes was very advanced, and local authorities from both sides were very insistent. So we took out this border post from the whole package and hasted with the opening," said Marin Raikov. Dimitris Drutsas explained that only private cars will be able to pass through this post, so it will not be of importance to trade. Certainly, the post will facilitate the travel of people and will have a positive effect on tourism in northern Greece and southern Bulgaria.

    Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister also announced that it is possible for the border post Kardzhali-Komotini to open by the end of 2010, the agreement for which was signed in 1995. It will be a big border post, which will have a great importance for trade between Bulgaria and Greece. "With the opening of Kardjali-Komotini post we can celebrate the 130^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Greece, which happened on September 9, 2010,” also offered Marin Raikov.

    He said that the Bulgarian side of border post Ivaylovgrad-Kiprianos is completed and the only work left is to asphalt a 5km stretch on the Greek side. The agreement for this border post was signed in 2006. Similar is the situation in Rudozem-Xanthi, where the Bulgarian side has completed 80 percent of the work. The diplomat said that Greece and Bulgaria have not yet agreed to build a border checkpoint at Gorna Arda-Paranesty, which was proposed by Bulgaria.

    Dimitris Drutsas announced that they had also discussed the water management along the border, and energy projects of mutual interest - Haskovo-Komotini pipeline and Bourgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline. "We are very concerned by the environmental aspects of building the Bourgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, but we are still interested,” specified Raikov. He announced that a meeting will be held in early March between Bulgaria and Greece, on which main topic of discussion will be energy.