Greek farmers fear for crops as Bulgaria water deal expires. By Karolina Tagaris for Reuters.
Since 1964, water from Bulgaria’s mountains has flowed freely along the Arda River into 50,000 acres (20,000 hectares) of the Evros plain in Greece, under a World War Two reparations agreement between the two countries.
But the deal expired last July and it is not clear if it will be renewed as Bulgaria assesses its own water needs.
The situation highlights just how vital – and precarious – water resources have become in southern Europe where climate change has made summers hotter and rain less frequent. Greece clocked its warmest winter and summer on record last year.
“Nothing can be done without water. We bought equipment, we bought fields, all of this is worth a lot of money.”
