Severe weather across Bulgaria: Hainboaz Pass re-opened to traffic, road conditions and situation in Veliko Turnovo remain difficult

Hainboaz Pass (Pass of the Republic) is now re-opened to traffic in both directions. However, the situation in Veliko Turnovo on November 27 remains difficult due to the severe winter weather,

Military helped to clear roads in Veliko Turnovo district.

The main road Rousse-Macaza remained closed to traffic all night. Kilometre-long lines of lorries and cars remained on the road.

Passengers in 6 buses were also blocked near the village of Polikraishte in Veliko Tarnovo.

Before noon, traffic was partially blocked in both directions on the Rousse-Macaza road - now it has been restored.

"We have not moved for 12 hours. Nobody tells us what is happening," said one of the drivers.

"We have been waiting for nearly 12 hours, we are tired, the state is the problem," said another one.

Near the village of Polikraishte, Veliko Turnovo district, there are several buses with women who were travelling back from an excursion in Romania. The buses are stuck on the road. The reason for the road being closed was a heavy lorry that had broken down and prevented the snow ploughs from starting to clear the road in time.

"This morning, around 4 am, the drivers were nervous because they had spent the night in the bus. They were visibly in a bad mood. They were about 40-50 years old, there were no small children with them," said the director of the regional road management - Veliko Tarnovo, Eng. Ventsislav Angelov.

"The snow drifts in places are about 5 m. high. There are huge drifts, heavy goods vehicles are constantly crashing," said the governor of Veliko Turnovo district, Ivaylo Zdravkov.

***

The Pass of the Republic is a mountain pass in the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) in Bulgaria. It connects Veliko Tarnovo and Gurkovo.

It is also known as Hainboaz Pass.

Harsh winter conditions cause traffic chaos, power cuts in hundreds of settlements in north-eastern Bulgaria