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2,150 trucks still stuck on Poland's border

by The Kyiv Independent news desk December 17, 2023 12:53 PM 1 min read
Trucks stuck during a blockade at the Dorohusk Polish-Ukrainian border crossing on Nov. 21, 2023 near Chelm, Poland. (Omar Marques/Getty Images)
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About 2,150 trucks are still stuck on the Polish border, unable to return to Ukraine.

Border Guard Service spokesman Andrii Demchenko told the media that blockades continue at three crossing points, with the biggest queues at Shehyni-Medyka.

He said that there is movement, but it has slowed considerably since the Shehyni blockade began.

An organizer of the protests, Rafal Mekler, had tweeted an intention to extend the blockade until Feb. 1, 2024. Mekler is the owner of a logistics firm and a member of the far-right Confederation party in Poland.

The protesting haulers complain that the high number of Ukrainian drivers entering Poland are hauling goods from Poland to other countries, undercutting local businesses that cannot match cheaper Ukrainian prices.

Ukrainian officials and industry representatives deny the accusations. The EU has warned the Polish government to ensure the end of the blockade.

Although the protesting Polish truckers said that the blockade would only apply to non-essential goods, Ukrinform reported on Nov. 20 that trucks carrying humanitarian aid or fuel and other essential goods had been on standby at the border for days.

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