The annual losses caused by stay at the border points with Greece and especially with Romania, where the problem is serious, amount to approximately BGN 100 million. This was calculated by the Union of International Carriers. Executive Director of the organization Yordan Arabadzhiev noted that the work of the drivers, the business in our country, which is an exporter, is becoming more difficult, and when it comes to transport – the most important thing is that it be fast. The comment was made after a meeting of the European Parliament /EP/, which almost unanimously called on the Council of Europe to open Schengen to Bulgaria and Romania. The plan is to enter the space in 2 stages by the end of this year.
According to Executive Director of the Industrial Capital Association in Bulgaria Dobrin Ivanov, the direct losses of the transport business probably amount to BGN 100 million. Then he specified:
„This includes fuel costs that the trucks incur while waiting at the checkpoints, as well as the wages of the drivers. The indirect losses are much more, they should include the ecological losses, damage caused to the Bulgarian nature and ecology“.
Ivanov pointed out that the pollution in Vidin and Ruse is many times greater, and the drivers, locals and customs officers who breathe this air are affected. He also emphasized that the native business is not only an exporter, but also an importer, and any delay lowers trade turnover and cash flows.
Asked how the transport industry would develop with Bulgaria’s entry into Schengen, Arabadzhiev replied that when there are no border checks, transport is faster. Then he added that at the moment there is a lack of personnel, since drivers from third countries cannot be hired. This could change with the Schengen visa and Bulgaria could attract drivers from North Macedonia, Turkey, Moldova and Ukraine.
„Undoubtedly, the abolition of border control will speed up business processes, the free movement of people and goods will be realized. They are not fully implemented at the moment. All these long queues at the borders will be suspended, it will be free to cross. In Romania, they calculated their losses and found that they are around EUR 11 billion per year. If we transfer this amount, perhaps the Bulgarian loss is EUR 4-5 billion per year, which is a very significant amount. I hope that these losses will be compensated, because Bulgaria has been outside Schengen for 11-13 years due to a political decision of some countries,“, Ivanov concluded.
