New Border Checkpoint Links Bulgaria, Turkey

Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened a new border checkpoint at Lessovo- Hamzabeyli on Sunday.

The checkpoint estimated at EUR 6 M is part of the trans-Balkan corridor Lessovo-Yambol-Karnobat-Shoumen-Silistra.

The new border checkpoint is the first to be opened in the country for the last 16 years. Bulgaria is planning to open a total of 15 new border checkpoints with its neighboring countries by 2015.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Simeon said the border crossing would contribute to further improvement of bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Turkey. He also noted that exchange of goods between the two countries had amounted to USD 1.8 B in 2004.

"This border crossing will further improve cultural and economic relations between the two countries and contribute to good neighborly ties," Erdogan, on his part, stated. Noting that Turkish investments in Bulgaria have increased to USD 300 M, Erdogan expected more investment from Bulgaria to Turkey.

In early May 2005, the cabinet adopted a Concept for opening new checkpoints with neighboring countries. Lessovo-Hamzabeyli border checkpoint is built under the intergovernmental agreement between Bulgaria and Turkey, signed in 1997.

The Prime Ministers of the two countries discussed the prospects for future implementation of the project during Turkey's Erdogan visit to Sofia in July 2004.

The opening of the border checkpoint will considerably facilitate the traffic on the basic connection between Bulgaria and Turkey - which is Captain Andreevo border checkpoint. The new border checkpoint will enhance the traffic permeability up to 250 trucks.