More than 20,000 trucks from Poland and Ukraine are blocked at three key border crossings, as striking Polish drivers protest against a European Union (EU) deal that allows Ukrainian trucks unlimited access to the bloc.
On Monday (6), Polish transport companies began blocking the movement of trucks along the three largest border crossing points between the two countries: Korczowa-Krakowiec, Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska and Dorohusk-Yahodyn, state media reported. Ukrainian Ukrinform.
“Currently, more than 20,000 vehicles are blocked on both sides. The economy not only of Ukraine or Poland suffers losses, but also of other countries that cannot transport goods,” the Ministry of Restoration of Ukraine said on Thursday (9).
Ukrainian truck drivers have been exempt from applying for permits to cross the Polish border since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Reuters reported.
However, Polish drivers claim that Russian and Belarusian entities have created Polish companies, according to Reuters.
The strikes follow a dispute between the neighboring countries earlier this year over cheap Ukrainian grain, which would normally be transported from the Black Sea ports now occupied by the country, but which instead flowed to Europe through Poland.
The flow of produce hurt Polish farmers, leading to a now-expired temporary EU ban. Poland does not allow the sale of Ukrainian cereals on its domestic market.
Poland’s support has been essential to Ukraine’s war effort; Since February 2022, millions of displaced people have left Ukraine and entered Poland, and millions of NATO military equipment have been rushed through Polish territory.
But fatigue is setting in in Poland and sympathy is waning – as was evident during the country’s recent election campaign, in which right-wing parties sought to capitalize on anti-Ukrainian sentiment.
The International Transport Association of Ukraine stated that Poles “are not satisfied with the high competition that has developed after the liberalization of international transport between Ukraine and EU countries”.
Therefore, one of the requirements is the cancellation of visa-free transportation, Ukrinform noted.
Serhii Derkach, deputy minister of Ukraine’s Ministry of Infrastructure, said this requirement is “impossible to fulfill.”
“It is impossible to cancel the transport liberalization agreement, because these are bilateral agreements between the EU and Ukraine. And Poland cannot do anything unilaterally,” he said.
On Monday, Ukraine’s ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Zvarych, called the protests a “knife in the back” for Ukraine, which has seen transport routes, including airspace and ports, severely limited since the start of the invasion.
According to Ukrainian national broadcaster Suspilne, protest organizers said they intended to let one truck per hour cross the border.
The protesters do not intend to obstruct the movement of trucks carrying humanitarian aid to Ukraine, Suspilne noted, adding that the protesters also claimed to have authorization to picket until January 3.
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Source: CNN Brasil
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