Polish truckers ended their blockade of Korczowa-Krakovets and Hrebenne-Rava Ruska checkpoints — two of the three border crossings with Ukraine that have been blocked by the truckers’ protests since November last year, Ukraine’s Border Guard Service reported on Jan. 16.
Earlier the same day, Polish Infrastructure Minister Dariusz Klimczak announced that Warsaw had reached an agreement with the Polish truckers who would end their blockade of the border until March 1.
Discussions are reportedly ongoing, the success of which will determine whether the truckers resume their protest after March 1.
According to Klimczak, the protesters also agreed to end the blockade of the Yahodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint, a key crossing for cargo vehicles at the Ukrainian-Polish border. The Border Guard Service provided no information on the situation at that checkpoint.
Almost 700 trucks are currently waiting in line to enter Ukraine at Korczowa-Krakovets and Hrebenne-Rava Ruska, the Border Guard Service wrote.
Dinara Khalilova
“Registration and passage of cargo vehicles across the border in both directions is carried out as usual. The border guards work together with the employees of the control services to ensure the passage of the maximum number of trucks.”
Polish truckers started blocking three crossings with Ukraine on Nov. 6, 2023, in protest of the EU's liberalization of transit rules for Ukrainian truckers, causing massive lines on the border and negatively impacting Ukraine's economy.
The truckers launched the demonstration on the grounds that the influx of Ukrainian drivers following Russia's full-scale invasion harmed their livelihoods. Ukrainian officials and industry representatives deny the accusations.
The blockade left thousands of Ukrainian truckers stranded in long lines for weeks in freezing temperatures.
A fourth border crossing, at Medyka-Shehyni, was temporarily blocked by Polish farmers, who suspended their blockade after reaching a deal with the government on Jan. 6.
Nina Mishchenko
(Updated: )
