Slovak truckers joining Polish counterparts’ protest against Ukrainian competitors
01.12.2023, 05:52
Slovak truckers to block Ukraine crossing, government extends ban on agri productsTVP World: SocietySlovak trucking union UNAS chief Stanislav Skala said his team was ready to block the Vysne Nemecke/Uzhhorod crossing, the sole border point for trucks, from 1400 GMT.
The Slovak haulers are joining Polish truckers who have been blocking several crossings to Ukraine since November 6, redirecting some traffic through Slovakia, causing hundreds of trucks to pile up for kilometers on the approach to the border.
Demands
Polish and Slovak truckers complain that Ukrainian truckers offer cheaper prices for their services and also transport goods within the EU, rather than just between the bloc and Ukraine.
Truckers in both countries demand that the EU reinstate a system of granting a limited number of permits to Ukrainian companies to operate in the bloc and for European truckers to enter Ukraine. The permits were abolished after Russia’s invasion.
“We will block the border and let four trucks through every hour,” Skala told Reuters by telephone while driving toward Vysne Nemecke on Friday.
Military supplies, humanitarian shipments, perishable goods, and animal deliveries will also be able to pass, he said, adding that the blockade would be done in both directions by a few passenger cars, and in coordination with police, and a team of several people guarding the blockade in shifts.
Operators want the EU to reinstate permits and enforce rules allowing Ukrainian companies to ship to and from the EU, but not local carriage within the EU.
The Slovak Transport Ministry said after the meeting with haulers on Wednesday it would relay their demands in Brussels.
Kyiv has said it will not compromise on the question of permits for Ukrainian drivers.
01.12.2023, 05:52
Photo: Dominika Zarzycka/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Slovak truckers are set to start blocking the country’s border with Ukraine on Friday, pledging an almost total shutdown of the crossing for trucks until the European Union (EU) meets their demands for tougher rules for Ukrainian competitors.
Slovak truckers are set to start blocking the country’s border with Ukraine on Friday, pledging an almost total shutdown of the crossing for trucks until the European Union (EU) meets their demands for tougher rules for Ukrainian competitors.
Slovak truckers to block Ukraine crossing, government extends ban on agri productsTVP World: SocietySlovak trucking union UNAS chief Stanislav Skala said his team was ready to block the Vysne Nemecke/Uzhhorod crossing, the sole border point for trucks, from 1400 GMT.
The Slovak haulers are joining Polish truckers who have been blocking several crossings to Ukraine since November 6, redirecting some traffic through Slovakia, causing hundreds of trucks to pile up for kilometers on the approach to the border.
Demands
Polish and Slovak truckers complain that Ukrainian truckers offer cheaper prices for their services and also transport goods within the EU, rather than just between the bloc and Ukraine.
Truckers in both countries demand that the EU reinstate a system of granting a limited number of permits to Ukrainian companies to operate in the bloc and for European truckers to enter Ukraine. The permits were abolished after Russia’s invasion.
“We will block the border and let four trucks through every hour,” Skala told Reuters by telephone while driving toward Vysne Nemecke on Friday.
Military supplies, humanitarian shipments, perishable goods, and animal deliveries will also be able to pass, he said, adding that the blockade would be done in both directions by a few passenger cars, and in coordination with police, and a team of several people guarding the blockade in shifts.
Operators want the EU to reinstate permits and enforce rules allowing Ukrainian companies to ship to and from the EU, but not local carriage within the EU.
The Slovak Transport Ministry said after the meeting with haulers on Wednesday it would relay their demands in Brussels.
Kyiv has said it will not compromise on the question of permits for Ukrainian drivers.
Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Ukraine on Friday said that the fallout from a weeks-long protest by Polish truckers on their countries' shared border was "catastrophic", as Slovak hauliers also began blockading crossings with their war-torn neighbour.
Issued on: 01/12/2023 -
Polish truckers have been blocking major crossings for cargo vehicles with neighbouring war-torn Ukraine since early November © Wojtek Radwanski / AFP/File
Polish truckers have been blocking major crossings for cargo vehicles with Ukraine since early November, demanding the reintroduction of entry permits for their Ukrainian competitors.
"Blocking traffic on the border between Poland and Ukraine: the situation is catastrophic!" Kyiv's rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said in a statement.
"Ukrainian drivers are in such a dire situation that they plan to go on hunger strike if the situation does not improve!"
Huge queues have formed on both sides of the border, with many drivers stuck in their vehicles for days in cold temperatures and with little food.
Kyiv on Friday said that some 2,100 trucks trying to enter Ukraine were blocked on the Polish side.
Lubinets said he had contacted his Polish counterpart Marcin Wiacek but has not yet received a response.
He also said that Kyiv has started to prepare for "the evacuation of drivers from blocked checkpoints on the territory of Poland", without giving details of what that would look like.
He said Ukraine had also started preparing to supply drivers with food, water, medicine and fuel.
At least two rounds of talks between Kyiv and Warsaw, as well as the EU, have failed to end the protest.
"No one has agreed to anything. Please consider this as the official position," Rafal Mekler, a co-leader of the protest, said on social media.
Mekler is also a politician with the far-right Konfederacja party in the Lublin region which borders Ukraine.
Warsaw said this week it would conduct "stepped-up checks" on Ukrainian trucks on roads leading to the border in an effort to placate the protesting hauliers.
Polish truckers have been blocking major crossings for cargo vehicles with Ukraine since early November, demanding the reintroduction of entry permits for their Ukrainian competitors.
"Blocking traffic on the border between Poland and Ukraine: the situation is catastrophic!" Kyiv's rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said in a statement.
"Ukrainian drivers are in such a dire situation that they plan to go on hunger strike if the situation does not improve!"
Huge queues have formed on both sides of the border, with many drivers stuck in their vehicles for days in cold temperatures and with little food.
Kyiv on Friday said that some 2,100 trucks trying to enter Ukraine were blocked on the Polish side.
Lubinets said he had contacted his Polish counterpart Marcin Wiacek but has not yet received a response.
He also said that Kyiv has started to prepare for "the evacuation of drivers from blocked checkpoints on the territory of Poland", without giving details of what that would look like.
He said Ukraine had also started preparing to supply drivers with food, water, medicine and fuel.
At least two rounds of talks between Kyiv and Warsaw, as well as the EU, have failed to end the protest.
"No one has agreed to anything. Please consider this as the official position," Rafal Mekler, a co-leader of the protest, said on social media.
Mekler is also a politician with the far-right Konfederacja party in the Lublin region which borders Ukraine.
Warsaw said this week it would conduct "stepped-up checks" on Ukrainian trucks on roads leading to the border in an effort to placate the protesting hauliers.
The truckers say they have faced unfair competition since the EU permits were scrapped after Russia invaded Ukraine © Damien SIMONART / AFP/File
The truckers say they have faced unfair competition since the EU permits were scrapped after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Poland has taken in over a million Ukrainian refugees since the outbreak of war with Russia.
But relations with Ukraine took a sour turn during Poland's parliamentary election this autumn, when the ruling party increased nationalist rhetoric and became embroiled in spats with Kyiv.
Slovak truckers join protest
As the situation on the Polish border worsened, Slovak truckers mirrored their northern neighbours and also began blockading crossings with Ukraine.
Members of Slovakia's truckers union UNAS were allowing only four trucks per hour to enter Ukraine at the Vysne Nemecke checkpoint.
"We will stay here until steps are taken to limit competition from Ukrainian hauliers," Rastislav Curma, deputy president of UNAS, told AFP.
"We want to support our Polish colleagues," Curma added.
Polish and Slovak road carriers say the scrapping of the permits led to undercutting by Ukrainian competitors, which has taken a serious toll on their earnings.
The Ukrainian border agency on Friday warned of disruptions in cargo traffic at the Vysne Nemecke crossing, but assured that "traffic will not be blocked when entering Slovakia."
"The movement of cars and buses will also not be restricted," it said on social media.
The Slovak protest came after the new government in Bratislava earlier this month blocked a military aid package to Ukraine.
© 2023 AFP
The truckers say they have faced unfair competition since the EU permits were scrapped after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Poland has taken in over a million Ukrainian refugees since the outbreak of war with Russia.
But relations with Ukraine took a sour turn during Poland's parliamentary election this autumn, when the ruling party increased nationalist rhetoric and became embroiled in spats with Kyiv.
Slovak truckers join protest
As the situation on the Polish border worsened, Slovak truckers mirrored their northern neighbours and also began blockading crossings with Ukraine.
Members of Slovakia's truckers union UNAS were allowing only four trucks per hour to enter Ukraine at the Vysne Nemecke checkpoint.
"We will stay here until steps are taken to limit competition from Ukrainian hauliers," Rastislav Curma, deputy president of UNAS, told AFP.
"We want to support our Polish colleagues," Curma added.
Polish and Slovak road carriers say the scrapping of the permits led to undercutting by Ukrainian competitors, which has taken a serious toll on their earnings.
The Ukrainian border agency on Friday warned of disruptions in cargo traffic at the Vysne Nemecke crossing, but assured that "traffic will not be blocked when entering Slovakia."
"The movement of cars and buses will also not be restricted," it said on social media.
The Slovak protest came after the new government in Bratislava earlier this month blocked a military aid package to Ukraine.
© 2023 AFP
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