KAlmost all road traffic was blocked by trucks lined up by protesters who say their incomes have been cut as the European Union (EU) liberalizes border traffic rules.
“We want to restore fair competition rules,” protest co-organizer Raffael Meckler told France-Presse in Torohusk (east of the country).
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Union abandoned the licensing system governing Ukrainian transport companies’ entry into Europe.
According to Polish truck drivers, this decision led to an increase in the number of Ukrainian competitors in the sector, which severely affected their profitability.
Compared to Poland, “the costs of maintaining trucks, recruiting drivers or opening a business or insurance are very low,” noted Marek Ogliński, owner of a transport company.
“They’ve lowered the prices and kept the items we sold before,” added Oklinski.
Protesters set up similar blockades at the Hrebenne and Korczowa border crossings, promising to allow private cars and humanitarian and military aid destined for Ukraine.
Poland’s infrastructure ministry said Warsaw could not meet the protesters’ demands under European rules.
“Since the agreement was signed by the EU …, from a practical point of view, there is no way for Poland to restore the licensing system before the end of the agreement,” the ministry said in a press release, calling for protesters. Stop the bans.
Read more: Kyiv advances in Kherson region and fighting intensifies in west
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