The tourism industry and the state urgently coordinate measures against queues at the borders during the height of the season

The tourism industry and the state urgently coordinate measures against queues at the borders in the height of the season

BATA and other industry organizations initiated a working meeting at the Ministry of Tourism due to difficulties in bus transportation under the new EC regulation

Sofia, June 12, 2026 – At the initiative of the Bulgarian Association of Travel Agencies (BATA) and other industry organizations, an extraordinary working meeting was held yesterday, June 11, 2026, at the Ministry of Tourism. The reason for the discussion was the frequent signals of serious problems and delays at border checkpoints in the country and in other EU member states, which create significant difficulties for Bulgarian citizens and foreign tourists traveling by passenger buses.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr. Georgi Todorov, the Deputy Minister of Interior, Mr. Emil Ganchev, and the Deputy Director of the Border Police Directorate, Radoslav Kulekov, on behalf of the government.

In a constructive dialogue, the critical issues arising from the new European Commission (EC) regulation on the entry into force of third-country nationals (non-EU) on the territory of the Community were discussed. The new requirements for enhanced control are already having a negative impact on traffic, causing congestion at border crossings at the very beginning of the active summer tourist season.

The representatives of the tourism industry came up with a package of specific and practical proposals aimed at:

Traffic optimization: Improving and accelerating the process of passing organized tourists arriving by bus at the Bulgarian borders.

International Dialogue: Initiate ministerial-level talks with other EU member states to review specific administrative requirements in the new regulation that generate unnecessary delays.

The participants in the meeting united around the position that rapid and coordinated action between business and institutions is needed to protect Bulgaria's image as an accessible destination and to guarantee the comfort of travelers during the summer.