A hundred Rhodopes from the Smolyan region gathered for a peaceful protest in the area of the non-working Rudozem - Xanti border checkpoint. People's dissatisfaction is due to the restrictions on pedestrian access to Greece, BNR reported, quoted by bTV.
On the Greek side, police officers in bulletproof vests were guarding the border because they had received information that Bulgarians would enter Greek territory with excavators and heavy equipment.
According to the protesters, their patience has already run out:
The Greeks must open the road now, it's high time. We are in Schengen. They have opened it a hundred times, cut the ribbons, but in fact the road is closed. European projects have deadlines for launching. They extend one, two, three times and we are still waiting... We go around Zlatograd, Pechinsko. 75 kilometers is more road. There and back - 150 kilometers. How long?
Since we entered Schengen - there is no road. Ministry, government should take their role.
The mayor of Rudozem municipality Nedko Kulevski commented that people are disappointed and noted that this road has been awaited for 30 years: This road is extremely important not only for Rudozem, but for the entire region. We expect that with the launch of the road, tourism and commercial activity will develop. We are ready for this, said Kulevski.