According to Bulgarian Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski, the losses arising from the latest blockade staged by Greek farmers on the border with Bulgaria will exceed EUR 10 M.

In an interview for private bTV station on Tuesday, Moskovski reminded that Greek farmers have been staging illegal blockades at the border with Bulgaria several times since 2007.

In his words, each blockade resulted in losses of around EUR 10 M, but the latest one will be more expensive as it lasted for a longer period of time.

He added that during the months of January and February Greek farmers are idle, which prompts them to turn to the government with too ambitious demands.

When the government fails to fulfill their demands, they stage blockades.

According to Moskovski, if the farmers want be heard by Europe, they will have more success if they block the ports connecting Greece with Italy.

He noted that the farmers are staging blockades neither on airports nor on the underground, with the Bulgarian drivers suffering the most.

Moskovski said that Bulgarian truck drivers are furious from the latest blockade and are determined to walk all the way on obtaining compensations.

If the issue with the losses is not solved until June, they are planning to stage a blockade on the Bulgarian side of the border between June 15 and July 15.

Moskovski assured that the Bulgarian state will assist companies in lawsuits seeking compensations of the incurred losses.

In his words, Greek authorities have confirmed that the blockades are completely illegal, but they are unable to order the police to take measures as the situation is out of control.

There has been no response from the European Commission to the Bulgarian declaration calling on the EU's executive body to take measures.

From the conversations the transport minister has had, he was left with the impression that the Commission is treating this as more of a local problem which concerns the two states and should be soled locally.

However Mosvkoski is of a differnt opinion as this concerns an European transport corridor and it is absolutely illegal to limit the free movement of people and goods.

Greek farmers have been staging blockades at checkpoints on the border with Bulgaria in the past month in a protest to a planned increase of tax and pension contributions.

Tensions escalated last week when Bulgarian truck drivers staged a counter-blockade after the Greek farmers had failed to keep to their promise to temporary lift the blockade at certain hours each day to prevent the queuing up of trucks.

All six checkpoints along the border were closed on Friday. The blockade was lifted on Sunday, with checkpoints remaining open on Monday as well.

However Greek farmers are planning to renew the blockade and close the Ilinden checkpoint to all vehicles on Tuesday morning after an unssuccessful five-hour meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

According to trade union leaders, the Greek government did not concede to the demands of the protesters.