The Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee in the European Parliament and Bulgarian MEP Ilhan Küçük officially notified the European Commission about the blocking of the fully completed Rudozem-Xanthi border checkpoint by the Republic of Greece.
Against the background of the fact that Bulgaria is already a full member of the Schengen area since January 1, 2025, the MEP put to the European Commission three key questions aimed at quickly finding a solution to the existing transport inaccessibility between the two countries.
Ilhan Küçük insists that the European Commission:
-To assess how the created blockade of the new road section violates the commitments under the Schengen Borders Code;
-To analyze the lost benefits for transport connectivity, the economic development of the region and road safety in the context of the strategic goal “Vision 0“ for zero road accident casualties by 2050;
-To take immediate measures to remove physical obstacles and ensure real connectivity along the Rudozem-Xanthi axis.
“It is unacceptable in a united Europe and in the enlarged Schengen area to erect fences where there should be bridges of cooperation. Bulgaria fulfilled its commitments months ago. I expect swift action from the European Commission to guarantee the right to free movement of European citizens and goods“, Ilhan Küçük is categorical.
The “Rudozem-Xanthi“ border crossing was agreed between Bulgaria and Greece back in 1995 as part of the efforts to strengthen interregional cooperation and the development of trans-European transport networks. Bulgaria has fulfilled all commitments regarding the construction of its territory, including the completion of the access road and checkpoint, while on Greek territory, instead of road access, a fence and concrete barriers have been built, preventing any passage.