There are now 3,000 Ukrainian trucks stuck at three border crossings between Poland and Ukraine. Angry Polish drivers have been blocking border crossings for more than ten days, out of anger against the EU, which decided last year to allow Ukrainian truckers to drive in the EU without restrictions. That disrupts the market, the Polish drivers say.
The lines of waiting Ukrainian trucks have grown to between 10 and 30 kilometers. The Polish drivers had promised to allow trucks carrying humanitarian aid to continue driving, but according to Ukraine this is not the case.
The situation for Ukrainian drivers is so bad that Ukraine has sent emergency aid their way. The Ukrainian Ministry of Infrastructure is sending food parcels, water and medicine across the Polish border.
In total there are eight border crossings where trucks can pass. A fourth may be blocked from this week. Negotiations between Ukraine and the demonstrators have so far failed.
Since the war broke out, the amount of truck traffic between Poland and Ukraine has doubled. According to Poland, Ukrainian drivers also take on local transport in the EU, for less money than drivers from Poland. In their view, this creates unfair competition.
Although Poland is one of Ukraine’s fiercest supporters in the fight against Russia, such incidents lead to tension between the countries. Poland previously decided to ban Ukrainian grain. Because the EU abolished all import duties on grain to make Ukrainian land exports easier, the grain also ended up on the Polish market on a large scale. That worked to the disadvantage of Polish farmers.
Joram Bolle
AFP – Trucks wait in line at the border crossing in Dorohusk.
2023-11-20 19:41:06
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