Truckers started protesting in November because they think it’s unfair that Ukrainian truckers are competing with them. Six places where people can cross from one country to another are blocked off with barriers.
1 min read 12/02/2023, 12:50 AM IST
On Friday, Ukraine’s Ministry of Infrastructure said that it had agreed with Poland on ways to fix the problems at border crossings caused by Polish truckers’ protests. The truck drivers have been protesting since November 6 because they think their Ukrainian competitors are not playing fair. They have been blocking traffic at four border crossings.
The things they agreed to do haven’t really made the protesters happy because they still want their main requests to be met. The government said that they did not talk about bringing back a permit system for Ukrainian truckers entering the European Union, which was something the Polish protesters wanted. Also, the way trucks are lined up to cross the border in Ukraine using an electronic system is causing problems for Polish truck drivers because they have to wait a long time with empty trucks. This is still a big problem that people argue about.
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One of the ways they agreed to help is by opening the Uhryniv checkpoint for empty trucks to pass through easily. This will help ease traffic at other checkpoints. The Nyzhankovychi crossing will start keeping track of who comes in using a computer system, and trucks that are empty will need special permission to pass through Yahodyn and Krakivets crossings, which are currently blocked.
But some people don’t agree about how certain checkpoints should only be used by transport from the EU. Polish protesters want this, but Ukraine and the EU don’t think it’s ok. Ukrainian truck drivers don’t need special permission to enter the EU since June 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Polish truckers want Ukrainian truckers to have fewer licenses, but Ukraine and Brussels say it’s not possible. The protests and blockades happening now could cause Ukraine to import 20% less in November. It could also make the country’s GDP growth go down by one percentage point if the situation continues.
