Bulgaria‘s First Day in Schengen: Rudozen-Ksample Border Crossing Remains Closed
On Bulgaria’s inaugural day as a Schengen zone member, the Rudozen-Ksample border crossing between Bulgaria and Greece remained closed, despite high anticipation. A metal barrier, erected around a kilometer before the checkpoint, stopped all vehicle traffic to the facility.
Throughout the early hours of New Year’s Day 2025, dozens of vehicles headed towards the border post, hoping to pass freely into Greece. However, border police from both countries, including Bulgaria’s National Police and the Smolyan Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior, directed traffic away from the closed crossing.
"Just wanted to check it out, to see what’s happening," said Nikolai Georgiev, a taxi driver from Sofia, echoing the curiosity of many Bulgarians eager to test their newfound travel freedoms within the Schengen Area.
While the road from Dimitar to the border has been paved, some finishing touches, including the installation of safety barriers and road markings, are yet to be completed. Regional Governor of Smolyan, Zahari Sirakov, stated that the closure aims to prevent accidents on the temporarily under-construction road.
The Rudozen-Ksample crossing’s infrastructure and buildings were completed at the end of 2021, but opening was delayed due to construction lag on the Greek side. The Bulgarian government has incurred significant costs maintaining the unopened facility over the past few years.
Locals expressed disappointment at the latest delay. "They’ve been promising us a lot. Now they let us into Schengen, but we still can’t get anywhere," said Fahri, a resident of Chepinci village.
Despite the closed crossing, regional officials are optimistic about the area’s economic prospects. Nedko Kulovski, mayor of Rudozen municipality, reported a 50% increase in property prices and enhanced investor interest in the region over the past two years.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Considerations: Relevant keywords used include Bulgaria, Schengen, border crossing, Rudozen-Ksample, travel, Greece, economy, and regional development. The article maintains a high keyword density and incorporates various long-tail keywords.
