[size=75:2t9kuhsk]Sofia echo 21 January 2010

Greek border 'embargo' hits Bansko hard

The "
embargo"
on the Greek-Bulgarian border has had a serious impact on the economy of Bansko, costing the Bulgarian tourist town 480 000 euro a day.

The Bansko Tourist Association has sent a letter to Prime Minister Boiko Borissov and to Parliamentary speaker Tsetska Tsacheva, saying that "
small and medium-sized tourist establishments in the town are facing widespread bankruptcies"
, Dnevnik daily reported on January 20 2010.

"
We ask the Bulgarian Government to offer assistance to affected proprietors and establishments. We demand compensation from European Funds as the crisis has affected hotels and restaurants from across southeastern Bulgaria."


"
This is the second year in a row that Bulgarian business have been taken hostage by Greek farmers who want to resolve internal problems that have no bearing whatsoever on Bulgaria,"
the letter said.

The letter goes on to say that scores of hotel proprietors and restaurants owners are reeling from the blockade which has "
kicked tourists away"
and "
frozen business in Bansko"
.

"
Who is going to compensate for the damage in our town and other regions in Bulgaria?"
the letter asks.

Earlier on January 20 reports in the Bulgarian media said that the economy is losing three million leva every day due to the closure of border checkpoints by protesting Greek farmers.

The "
preliminary estimates"
come from the "
crisis task force"
set up by Economy Minister Traicho Traikov, who along with Transport and Agriculture ministers, Alexander Tsvetkov and Miroslav Naidenov respectively, delivered a report before Parliament on January 20.

Naidenov said that he has sent a letter to the European Commission along with his Romanian counterpart, Mihail Dumitru, in which they demand that the EC take immediate action against Greece because its farmers are violating the constitutional right to free movement across borders, both of businesses and civilians.

Borissov told Bulgarian media that he had held discussions with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barosso on January 19 during which he had requested up to 10 million euro in compensation, greater than the sum of six million initially reported in the media on January 19.

Are they trying it on ??!!! Am i wrong in thinking Bansko and some of the other ski-ing resorts are facing problems,NOT THROUGH THE FAULT OF GREEKS,but the escalating costs and overcharging in BG
One or two days so far,the Greek farmers have taken to the border (wrong YES) but blaming them for loss etc,dont make me laugh ! and who's going to pay out of the EURO FUND ,that magical place where money appears ?UK tax-payers for one.
The borders are closed to TIR/lorries not cars and coaches etc,why dont they understand (BUlgarians) that they have outpriced theirselves compared to the 'old school ' ski resorts...dumb **%%$$*

[size=75:2zkd2d1t]novinite 21 January 2010

Hi Jack here's another update, how they calculated the figure below so quick is amazing

Bulgaria Firms Report Huge Losses over Greek Border Blockade

The Bulgarian Agriculture Ministry and Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism have received 13 notifications from firms reporting a total loss of BGN 77,5 M from the Greek farmer blockade of the Bulgarian border.

The hotline that was set up on Monday to help transport and other companies has so far received declarations of losses from agricultural produce transport companies and others including from the timber, coal and tourism sectors.

There are still huge columns of trucks on both sides of the border, with the situation particularly severe at the Kulata-Promahon cross border point on the Greece-Bulgaria border.

The border points are opened sporadically to let small vehicles through but the truck lines continue to grow with Greek farmers refusing to end the blockade until they secure subsidies, guaranteed prices, reduction of their production expenditure and unfreezing of their bank loans.

On Tuesday 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.

How can Greece get away with this anyway,why should the EU pay for the losses of Bulgaria ?If anyone it should be Greece for allowing it to happen !
Any other country.and the police would have moved them on or arrested them,of course in a free World ,i think your allowed to protest or dissagree as long (i thought) you dont jeapordise or interupt others,the EU should be quick and knock this on the head,by stating to the Greek authourities And the Bulgarians for that matter,that the EU wont pay out and that their breaking the law....Do you think that will happen,nah,there'll just be alot of messing about on both sides until they win or get more payments out of the EU as subsadies,and then a shake hands and more paying out from EU for the disrupyion,and who loses (not Greece or BG) tax-payers in the UK/Germany and the other few countries keeping the whole mess(EU) afloat...just about .
Mess meaning,look how Greece,Spain and a few other economies are looking at the moment,with hand out after handout.Am i talking bull ?i'm no economist or clever bugger,just how i see it.

I think your right Jack Bulgaria has had problems for a while now and this is just away of them trying to get something for nothing ! but then wouldn't we all like something for nothing if we can get away with it