According to journalists, about 100 farmers from the Dedicated Village association are planning to stage a three-day protest at the Medika checkpoint.
In Poland, farmers plan to join the carriers’ strike on the Ukrainian border. Bloomberg writes that such actions could jeopardize the delivery of humanitarian aid to the war-torn country.
The blockade, which began two weeks ago, has caused around 20,000 vehicles to line up to cross the border on both sides, according to journalists.
Truckers in Poland and some eastern European Union countries say that the temporary concessions implemented after Russia’s invasion create unfair competition in Ukraine and they want them to be canceled.
The publication said the current tensions were reminiscent of a dispute over grain supplies from Ukraine that led Poland and Hungary to impose unilateral import bans earlier this year.
About 100 farmers from the Dedicated Village association planned to stage a three-day protest at the Medica checkpoint, one of its organizers, Lukasz Martin, told the agency. “Farmers were the first group to be affected. Now shipping companies have been affected, the question is who will be next,” he said.
Members of the industry group International Road Transport Association from Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Lithuania have written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, urging her to reconsider the agreement with Ukraine that allows road liberalization and expires in June 2024. wanted. .
The EU chief executive said on November 16 that reintroducing any permits or quotas on road transport from Ukraine was legally impossible as it would violate the existing agreement between the EU and Kiev. To make the flow of goods easier and faster during the war, the EU allowed Ukrainian transporters to transport goods without permission.
Closure of the Ukrainian border: what is known
On November 6, Polish carriers staged a protest and blocked the movement of trucks to checkpoints. Due to the strike, large truck queues formed on the roads leading to the checkpoints. Organizers reportedly only allow one truck per hour to pass.
The main demands of carriers include the return of permits, tightening of transport rules, providing access to the Shlyakh system and creating separate queues for empty trucks.
The State Border Service expected the border blockade to be removed after negotiations, but Polish carriers continue the strike.
According to media reports, the European Commission will impose sanctions on Poland if Polish authorities fail to resolve the issue with the carriers.
Ukraine’s position
On November 14, Andriy Demchenko, spokesman for the State Border Service of Ukraine (SBSU), reported that Polish carriers continue to block Ukrainian trucks in three main directions of the border.
Demchenko said, “There has been no result yet from the negotiations with Poland. Polish carriers continue to close three main routes.” According to him, the strikers actually allow one or more Ukrainian trucks to pass per hour. Now, as in previous days, there are queues, cars are moving very slowly towards the Ukrainian border.
Queues formed at the border
According to information from the Western Regional Directorate of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, as of 18:00 on November 20, the following queues for crossing the state border were recorded at checkpoints on the border with the Republic of Poland:
- “Yagodin” – 13 buses (electronic queue) (pedestrians are not allowed in; passenger cars are temporarily not allowed in);
- “Ustilug” – 10 l/year, 3 buses (electronic queuing); (pedestrians are not allowed to pass);
- “Ugrinov” – 0 buses, 0 buses (pedestrians not allowed);
- “Rava-Russkaya” – 0 buses, 0 buses (pedestrians not allowed);
- “Grushev” – 0 buses, 0 buses (pedestrians not allowed);
- “Krakovets” – 20 l/year, 7 buses (electronic queuing); (pedestrians are not allowed to pass);
- “Shegini” – 20 l/a, 20 buses (electronic queue), 0 pedestrians (pedestrians are allowed in both directions);
- “Smolnitsa” – 0 buses, 0 buses (pedestrians are not allowed).
- “Nizhankovichi” – 1887 electronic checkpoint, only trucks with a maximum allowable weight of more than 7.5 tons are allowed to pass without cargo (except tanks of hazardous materials, including fuels and lubricants).
Let us also remind you that Focus explained what the consequences of the aircraft carrier attack in Poland might be on November 15. According to Acting Minister of Agricultural Policy 2019 Olga Trofimtseva, Polish carriers will also face problems in the future if an agreement is not reached. The Ukrainian side is already suffering losses.
Source: Focus
Alfred Hart is an accomplished journalist known for his expert analysis and commentary on global affairs. He currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker, where he provides readers with in-depth coverage of the most pressing issues affecting the world today. With a keen insight and a deep understanding of international politics and economics, Alfred’s writing is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the world we live in.