The transport ministers of Bulgaria and Turkey, Georgi Peev and Abdulkadir Uraloglu, held urgent talks over the lorry queues at the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing, the Transport and Communications Ministry said. They discussed ways to fix the problem fast so that lorries can cross normally.
Border officials say 418 lorries crossed into Turkey today between 8am and 6pm. None crossed in the other direction.
In the past 24 hours, 1,304 lorries passed through in total: 1,025 leaving Bulgaria and 279 entering. Kapitan Andreevo has the worst queues on the whole Bulgarian-Turkish border.
Peev also met representatives of Bulgarian hauliers.
"We are aware of the losses and difficulties the sector is facing," the minister said.
He said the queues have several causes at once. The crossing is being rebuilt, so some lanes are closed for now. The Schengen rule that lets citizens of third countries stay up to 90 days in every 180 is being strictly enforced, and Turkish hauliers are protesting against it. Traffic also usually picks up before Turkey's national holiday on 29 October.
Peev said the ministry is working with the Turkish side and Bulgarian institutions to shorten the queues as fast as possible. He said it is taking steps to improve checks and organisation at the crossing.
More working meetings with institutions and industry groups will follow to agree on action for a lasting fix.