(MENAFN) Polish truckers, advocating for stricter regulations for their Ukrainian counterparts, have obstructed over 1,000 cargo vehicles at the border. This includes trucks carrying humanitarian aid destined for Ukraine, as reported by Kiev’s deputy minister for infrastructure, Sergey Derkach, in a Facebook post on Sunday.
Derkach and his team visited the Krakivets-Korchova checkpoint, where approximately 1,200 trucks are stranded, along with 500 at Grebenne, both in close proximity to Lviv. Despite the blockade, Ukrainian authorities have managed to deliver essential supplies such as food, water, and medicine to the stranded drivers.
The situation “is no less critical” at the Dorogusk checkpoint in the northern border region, with over 1,200 trucks in a queue. Supplies are expected to reach this checkpoint soon to address the pressing situation.
The deputy minister denounced demonstrators for not permitting trucks moving humanitarian assistance to go in Ukraine. “We have recorded numerous instances of fuel tankers and humanitarian trucks standing in queues,” he stated, continuing that Ukrainian representatives had been in touch with their Polish equivalents to solve the problem.
Furthermore, according to Derkach, no more than fifteen protestors were blocking the two checkpoints he had personally visited. He claimed that the presence of the Ukrainian delegation had helped to reduce traffic, saying that "in fact, a dozen people are holding the border hostage."
The ongoing protest, extending for a minimum of two weeks, is a response to the European Union's choice to waive the requirement for Ukrainian truckers to obtain permits for crossing the Polish border following the commencement of hostilities between Moscow and Kiev.
Polish hauliers argue that this exemption has adversely affected their businesses, as it promotes increased competition from Ukrainian counterparts, ultimately leading to a reduction in prices in the industry.
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