Slovak truckers also blocked the border with Ukraine

Thousands of long-distance drivers from Ukraine have to wait weeks Stay because Polish and now Slovakian drivers are blocking the border to protest the existing conditions. Ukrainian transportation has already lost 400 million euros in the shadow of this protest action.

In this way, the blockade of the border crossings of the European Union with Ukraine is now getting worse. From today Friday, long-distance drivers in Poland and Slovakia also want to block the transportation of goods at these crossings for a longer time.

According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper, the Slovak Drivers Association UNAS said that the most important crossing, Vyšné Nemecké, will be closed and only humanitarian and military aid will be allowed through. In Bratislava, long-haul drivers presented their demands to Transport Minister Jozef Raj on Wednesday.

Slovak drivers, like Polish drivers, are mainly due to the EU’s transport agreement with Ukraine from the summer. 2022 are protesting. After the start of the Russian war, the European Union canceled the previous national regulations on freight transport quotas with Ukraine to provide relief to the country and its companies. Blockers of border crossings see this as an unfair preference for Ukrainian long-haul drivers, who are paid less and allegedly make unauthorized trips inside the union territory. Protesters are of the opinion that they should be controlled more strictly.

The Slovak government responded to the drivers’ action by saying that it respects the “drivers’ right to strike”. According to information from the Slovak Ministry of Transport, it was agreed that the move should not greatly disrupt the lives of residents of eastern Slovakia.

Populist Robert Fico took power in Slovakia in October and became the country’s prime minister. He has announced that he only supplies arms to Ukraine commercially and has expressed sympathy with Moscow’s position in the war. On Wednesday, the Bratislava government also extended a ban on imports of Ukrainian grain and other agricultural products. In addition to Slovakia, Poland and Hungary have also imposed bans on Ukrainian grain imports against the wishes of the European Union to protect local farmers.

Meanwhile, in Poland, where blockades began on Nov. 6 and now affect four major border crossings, trucks are lined up with wait times of up to two weeks. A week ago, the Ukrainian transport association announced the loss of this action at around 400 million euros. “Taras Kachka”, the Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine, called for the resolution of the protests at the negotiating table and not on the roads in winter, where, according to him, it harms not only the economy, but also the health and life of drivers.

These drivers accuse their Ukrainian colleagues of forcing them to transport goods in the European Union at cheaper shipping rates, thus protesting the Polish farmers. have joined.

Truck drivers have asked the EU to re-introduce mandatory licenses for Ukrainian truck drivers entering the EU and for EU truck drivers entering Ukraine. According to their request, exceptions should be considered only for humanitarian aid and arms delivery. The European Union canceled these controls after Russia’s attack on Ukraine in 2022.

The head of the Commercial Agricultural Club of Ukraine recently warned that the situation on the border between this country and Poland is critical and probably due to lack of Basic food items will lead to this country.

He emphasized that the continued blockade of the country’s border crossings by Polish truck drivers has reduced food imports from the European Union to Ukraine.

Poland and Ukraine are traditionally close allies. Since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Warsaw has been one of Kiev’s biggest supporters and arms suppliers. But recently, disputes over Ukraine’s grain exports have worsened relations between the two countries.

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