Bulgarians from Serbia's Caribrod call for separate border crossing to reach Sofia on time for work

Traffic at the Kalotina border checkpoint is very intense in summer

published on 7/16/24 12:39 PM

Photo: Krasimir Martinov, BNR

Kilometre-long queues form daily during the summer season at the border crossing between Serbia and Bulgaria at the Kalotina checkpoint, delaying border crossings for hours.

Apart from the unpleasant and exhausting wait for travellers from Western Europe to Bulgaria, the heavy traffic is a serious obstacle for people from the Bulgarian national minority in Serbia living in the border town of Caribrod (Tsaribrod). Because of the huge queues of cars, they cannot communicate normally with Bulgaria. And the lack of livelihoods in their region forces many of them cross the border to work in Bulgaria.

For years, the members of the Bulgarian community and the local municipal government in Caribrod have been sounding the alarm about the problem, and a few months ago they sent a letter to the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry with a new proposal to solve it. Their proposal is to open a separate temporary border crossing point for Bulgarian and Serbian citizens only, which would be open during the period of the highest traffic of transit vehicles from Western Europe to Turkey. ‎

"During the summer - from the beginning of June to the end of September - the border crossing is extremely busy with the traffic flow from Western Europe to Turkey and vice versa," Zoran Djurov, chairman of the Municipal Council of Caribrod, told Radio Bulgaria.

"The issue is also addressed to the Bulgarian state. There is still no answer, but perhaps the reason for this is the political situation in the Republic of Bulgaria.

The chairman of the Caribrod Municipal Council Zoran Djurov

I believe that now, after the elections held on 9 June, a working government will be formed in Bulgaria which will respond positively to our idea of opening a temporary border crossing point. This means that the Municipality of Caribrod will be able to set in motion all the concrete procedures for the opening of such a crossing point, through which both Bulgarian and Serbian citizens who work or study in Bulgaria, or those who have relatives on the other side of the border and have to travel to maintain their properties or cultivate their gardens, will be able to pass. After a few years, if it is seen to be working, it could become a permanent option."

Monument to the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius in Caribrod

The Serbian side has a site ready for the temporary border crossing, as well as proposals on where and how to connect this route to the highway, Zoran Djurov told us. He added that this would ease the lives of more than 500 residents of Caribrod who cross the border with Bulgaria on a daily basis. About 1,000 are those who work in Sofia and the surrounding villages.

"Around 1,000 people head to Sofia every day or twice a week (on Sundays or Mondays - they leave and on Fridays they return) to work," Zoran Djurov continued. "So, there are a lot of people from Caribrod working in Bulgaria. There is not enough work for everyone here. The livelihood in Caribrod revolves only around the tourists from Bulgaria who come to see the beautiful places in the area and eat in one of our restaurants. The temporary border crossing will also facilitate their movement. Most tourists in our region come from Sofia."

Caribrod and its vicinity attract visitors with their scenic views

According to the latest census, the Bulgarians in Caribrod are just over 3,500 people, or 45% of the population. There are also some 25% who have not identified themselves ethnically. But if you ask them if they know Bulgarian, they will all confirm it, Zoran Djurov, president of the Municipal Council of Caribrod, said in conclusion.

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Photos: Krasimir Martinov, BGNES

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