According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romanian tourists on holiday in Greece this weekend waited at checkpoints in Bulgaria for 120 minutes during peak hours.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday evening that this weekend, through representatives of the Romanian Embassy in Sofia and the Consulate General in Thessaloniki, it monitored the situation at the crossing points between Bulgaria and Greece, especially at the Makaza-Nymphaia and Kulata-Promachonas border crossings.

During peak hours, the maximum waiting time at transit checkpoints was 120 minutes, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Access to Greece through the Kulata-Promahonas PTF checkpoint is carried out along 5 traffic lanes, and citizens of EU countries, including Romanians, enjoy simplified control.

• “MAE notes that in the conditions of the beginning of the summer season and the increase in the number of tourists, an increase in the waiting time at checkpoints is not excluded. The MAE will continue monitoring the situation at the checkpoints between the two states and repeats the previously sent recommendations, available at the link https://www.mae.ro/node/62146,” the cited source adds.

Delays at the Greek border crossing points have angered tourists from the Balkans, who are particularly concerned about this situation, writes the Greek publication Thess Today, reports Rador. “Shame, shame, unacceptable”, – these are the words of Romanian, Bulgarian or Serbian tourists commenting on the long process of control at the points of entry to Greece, to which those who decided to spend their holidays in the north of Greece are subject again this year.

In this context, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday sent travel advice for those going to sea to Bulgaria or Greece.

Recommendations for tourists who choose to rest in Greece or Bulgaria

• Use all border points to Bulgaria or Greece and make sure they have enough fuel, water, food for such situations.
• Consider the possibility of a significant increase in the waiting time when passing through the Ruse border crossing, at the bridge toll, when Romanian tourists return to Romania and choose to enter the country through the PTF from the Giurgiu-Ruse bridge.
• Romanian tourists who decide to return to the country through the Giurgiu-Ruse PTF should prepare in advance the exact amount of the transfer fee, namely 2 (two) euros (coins with a denomination of 1 euro or 2 euros) or 4 (four) leva, in this way you can significantly reduce the waiting time for the processing and issuance of supporting documents such as receipts, invoices or tax receipts.
• It is important to be properly informed, to purchase electronic vignettes in time and to pay the fee for using public road infrastructure in the Republic of Bulgaria, in accordance with current legislation.
• Romanian international freight or passenger transport companies transiting through Bulgarian territory during this period are advised to take appropriate measures to carefully organize travel routes and set drivers’ work schedules, taking into account the waiting time, which increases significantly when crossing borders.
• To enter Romania, it is recommended to use other checkpoints located on the border with Bulgaria, such as PTF Vidin – Calafat, PTF Kardam – ​​Negro-Vode, PTF Oryahovo – Beket (ferry), PTF Dobromir – Krushari (maximum 3, 5 tons). ), PTF Kainardja – Lipnica (maximum 3.5 tons), PTF Nikopol – Turnu Magurele (ferry) and PTF Svishtov – Zimnica (ferry), the last four PTFs operate from 08:00 to 20:00.

In this context, the importance of correctly informing Romanian citizens about the early purchase of electronic vignettes and the corresponding payment of TOLL-type tolls for the use of public road infrastructure in the Republic of Bulgaria in accordance with current legislation is emphasized. Additional information can be obtained as follows:

• 1. regarding the current state of the roads: in the free LIMA application www.lima.api.bg, on the Internet page of the Agency “Road Infrastructure” – www.api.bg and by phone number 070013020, available offline – STOP;
• 2. regarding the electronic vignette and the e-TOLL system: on the website www.bgtoll.bg;
• 3. regarding the transport situation through Bulgarian checkpoints: on the website www.mvr.bg;
• 4. regarding the flight situation at Sofia airport: www.sofia-airport.eu;
• 5. regarding weather conditions: on the website www.weather.bg;
• 6. regarding travel conditions in the Republic of Bulgaria, heading Customs Regulations, http://www.mae.ro/travel-conditions/3677 and on the website of the “Customs” agency of the Republic of Bulgaria: www. customs.bg.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romanians can seek consular assistance at the phone numbers of the Embassy of Romania in Sofia: +35929712858 and +35929733510, calls are forwarded to the Contact and Support Center for Romanian Citizens Abroad (CCSCRS) and are answered by the call center. operators in regular constancy. Also, Romanian citizens who find themselves in a difficult, special situation of an extraordinary nature have at their disposal the permanent telephone number of the diplomatic mission of Romania in the Republic of Bulgaria: +359879440758.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also recommends reading the web pages http://sofia.mae.ro, www.mae.ro and reminds that Romanian citizens traveling abroad have at their disposal the “Travel Safely” application (http:/ /www. mae .ro/app_cs) which provides tourist information and advice.