Poland's Minister of Infrastructure, Andrzej Adamczyk, sent a letter to his Ukrainian counterpart today, November 27. In it, he urged compliance with the demands of Polish protesters, specifically the cancellation of mandatory registration of trucks in the electronic queue at certain checkpoints.
This was stated in the press center of the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure, citing one of the main reasons for the protests. One of the reasons for the protest by Polish carriers is the electronic queue introduced by Ukraine for trucks returning to the European Union without cargo. According to the Polish government, such a system makes it impossible to fulfill further orders and reduces the competitiveness of companies.
The Minister called for the cancellation of mandatory truck registration in the electronic queue, at least at two checkpoints:
- Zosin – Ustyluh
- Nizhankovychi – Malhovitse
In addition, he addressed the European Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, regarding the reinstatement of the requirement for Ukrainian transport companies to obtain permits for international transportation, which were canceled. According to him, the Polish Road Transport Inspection identified violations of the rules by Ukrainian carriers, which he reported to the European Commissioner for Transport.
"The actions mentioned are a continuation of the efforts by the Ministry of Infrastructure to address the causes of the strikes at the border, which lie in Ukraine and the European Union," the minister stated.
The text also highlighted ongoing preparations for the meeting of the EU Transport Council, scheduled for December 4, 2023, in Brussels. During this meeting, the intention is to discuss the consequences of the agreement to eliminate the requirement for Ukrainian carriers to obtain permits for international transportation.
- To recap, protests at the border began on November 6, blocking traffic at border crossings Krakovets-Korchova, Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne, Yahodyn-Dorohusk, and Shehyni-Medyka.
Currently, the Polish drivers' protest has been extended until February of next year. Drivers complain about being unable to compete with Ukrainians. They demand the cancellation of the "transport visa-free" regime for Ukraine and seek to "protect Polish carriers" from Ukrainian competitors.
There have been two reported deaths at the border. Due to these fatalities, the Ukrainian side has officially addressed the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a diplomatic note.
