Flower blockade could disrupt Valentine's Day for Europeans

ANKARA, Turkey, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- A transit permit dispute between Bulgaria and Turkey is holding up the delivery of millions of Valentine's Day flowers destined for Europe.

Turkish flower suppliers planned to ship 35 million flowers into Europe for Valentine's Day. Shippers were able to deliver 20 million, but told the BBC that 5 million are stuck at the border with Bulgaria and the rest are sitting in warehouses in southern Turkey.

At issue is a transit permit dispute that has been on-going for two weeks, which has prompted both Turkey and Bulgaria to close its borders to delivery trucks.

If the dispute is not resolved soon, flower producers in Turkey may face a 90 percent loss and cause European florists to raise their sales price.

[BBC]