EDIRNE
The conflict over transit passes for trucks travelling between Turkey and Bulgaria at the Kapikule border gate is still ongoing.
A Turkish truck driver, Mehmet Haci Salihoglu, told local press on Tuesday that he has been unable to pass the Kapikule gate for four days, due to not having the sufficient transit documents.
Another truck driver, Selahattin Ulusoy, complained of mal treatment by Bulgarian police officials. "We are fed up of giving bribes to the Bulgarian police," he said.
A queue of trucks, waiting to cross the border is estimated to be 9 km.
Most of the truck drivers are spending their time sleeping in their trucks, and sitting in restaurants near the gate whilst waiting for the conflict to be resolved.
One of the officials from Kapikule, Nedim Ozirmak, added that: "As part of the agreement, Turkey handed 125,000 transit pass documents to the Buglarian truck drivers at the beginning of this year. However, the Bulgarian government is taking it slow, as it has provided only 5000 passes until now."
Ozirmak added: "The conflict is not solved yet, but hopefully everything will be alright within 48 hours."
englishnews@aa.com.tr
