Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Greeks and Romanians shop in Bulgaria on mass scale after the Schengen entry

Photo: digi24.ro

The benefits for Bulgaria from full entry into Schengen are estimated at over 800 million euros per year. The largest benefits will be for manufacturers and exporters. But while this macroeconomic effect is awaited, the benefits are already being felt by small businesses. Romanians and Greeks are massively using the abolition of border controls to shop for fuel, food and cigarettes in the country.

Bulgaria has become a preferred shopping destination for Romanians near the border. More and more of them are crossing the Danube to fill up their tanks or buy cigarettes and food, which are much cheaper, the Romanian television station Digi24 reported. In a report titled “Bulgaria - the preferred supermarket of Romanians from the southern part of the country”, the television station points out that about 5,000 cars cross the bridge near Ruse every day. Their number is more than twice as high as in the same period in 2024.

For bargain hunters, border police remind that there are restrictions. A maximum of 40 packs of cigarettes can be exported to EU countries. Penalties for violations start with a warning and can reach 20,000 lei, and if the limit is exceeded, a criminal case is initiated. For alcoholic beverages, the limit is 40 liters.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Dimitar Radev

BNB Governor: In the Eurozone Bulgaria will maintain its conservative monetary policy

The Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) will maintain its conservative monetary policy, central bank governor Dimitar Radev told Politico. I lead one of the more conservative central banks and we have no intention of changing this course, Radev was quoted as..

published on 6/12/25 11:19 AM
Social Minister Borislav Gutsanov

At the beginning of 2025, Bulgaria has accepted as many foreign workers as in the whole of 2024

Between 50,000 and 70,000 foreign workers may be included in the Bulgarian labor market by the end of the year , according to estimates by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy. This was announced by Minister Borislav Gutsanov before the relevant..

published on 6/12/25 9:44 AM

Bulgaria wants the European integration of Ukraine and Moldova because of its national minority

The transition and accession of Ukraine and Moldova to the EU are important because the largest Bulgarian national minority is located there, said Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov in Odessa. He participated in the fourth Ukraine-Southeast..

published on 6/12/25 8:50 AM