Bulgaria Bans Entry of Russian Vehicles

Anton Zlatanov, the head of Bulgarian border police, has announced that the ban on the entry of vehicles with Russian license plates into Bulgaria will commence from Monday.

Bulgarian media outlets quoted him saying, "We have worked actively from Thursday until yesterday. I am sure that by the end of the day, the ban on the entry of Russian cars into Bulgaria will begin," according to France Presse.

According to the official, the ban also extends to goods, not just vehicles. However, he did not disclose the monthly number of Russian cars entering Bulgaria, but he noted that their quantity is not substantial.

Earlier, the European Commission issued a clarification stating that the sanctions imposed by the European Union on Russia in 2022 also apply to personal cars of Russian citizens bearing Russian license plates.

Therefore, Russian citizens cannot use their personal vehicles for travel to the European Union, even for short periods of tourism.

The ban on Russian cars entering Bulgaria aligns with broader EU sanctions against Russia and underscores the collective stance of EU member states in response to Russia's actions in recent years.