Kapitan Andreevo border crossing sees record traffic from Turkey

The Kapitan Andreevo border crossing between Bulgaria and Turkey has recorded a surge in traffic, with over 5,300 passenger cars entering Bulgaria in a single 24-hour period. This spike is attributed to seasonal movement, as workers of Turkish origin return to Western Europe following their summer holidays.

Border police report that waiting times have fluctuated, with some estimates suggesting delays of three to five hours at the Kapitan Andreevo and Kapıkule checkpoints. To manage the influx, authorities have deployed additional personnel from other regional directorates and organized staff to direct traffic based on passenger categories, such as EU versus third-country nationals.

While passenger vehicle lanes are operating at full capacity, heavy goods vehicle (HGV) traffic is experiencing significant delays. A 2-3 kilometer queue of trucks has been reported on the Maritsa motorway due to ongoing renovations at the border point. These repairs are intended to increase the crossing's overall capacity by 25%, though current work is focused on heavy vehicle lanes, which has temporarily limited throughput.