Bulgarian truck drivers have staged a counter-blockade at the Kulata checkpoint on the border with Greece on Tuesday. The tensions escalated due to the continuing protests of Greek farmers who have been staging blockades along the border in the past weeks. According to an agreement reached last week, blockades were to be temporarily lifted at certain hours each day to avoid the queuing up of vehicles. However on several occasions Greek farmers did not keep up to their promise and did not lift the blockade at the agreed hours. Therefore, Bulgarian drivers are planning to stage counter-blockades at all checkpoints along the border with Greece. The counter-blockades are to last for an indefinite period of time until the problem is solved. Only cars transporting sick people or small children will be allowed to pass through the checkpoint. Bulgarian drivers affected from the blockade are gathering evidence in order to file a lawsuit before a Greek court. Greek farmers have been protesting in the past weeks against planned social security reforms which foresee increases to tax and pension contributions. They have staged blockades at checkpoints on borders with neighbouring countries and on motorways and main roads in the interior of the country. Bulgaria is expected to raise the issue of the continuing blockades at the meeting of the EU's General Affairs Council in Brussels on Tuesday.
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