Greek farmers in the northern border town of Kastanies have taken
Greek farmers in the northern border town of Kastanies have taken to the streets, blocking roads with tractors to protest the Greek government’s failure to secure a renewed Greece-Bulgaria water deal. The agreement, which has ensured a steady flow of water from Bulgaria’s mountains into the Evros plain for decades, expired last July, leaving farmers anxious about the upcoming summer.
The now-lapsed deal, originally rooted in World War II reparations, allowed Bulgaria to release 186 million cubic meters of water annually from its hydroelectric dams into Greek farmlands between May and September. However, political instability in Bulgaria, coupled with successive interim governments, has stalled negotiations for its renewal, according to officials at Greece’s energy and environment ministry.
Bulgaria’s agriculture ministry emphasized its priority to first secure water resources for its own national needs before considering those of neighboring countries. Meanwhile, Bulgaria’s energy ministry has set up a working group to assess the situation, but no immediate resolution is in sight.
The uncertainty surrounding water access underscores broader concerns over climate change and resource scarcity in southern Europe. Greece recorded its hottest winter and summer on record last year, exacerbating drought conditions and making water availability even more critical for agricultural
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