Slovakian Truckers Revive Blockade of Ukraine Border Crossing
Once again, Slovakian transport workers have obstructed the Vysne Nemecke border crossing with Ukraine. The drivers are backing up their Polish counterparts who have been protesting for weeks. The Slovakian hauliers blame a slump in business on more lenient EU regulations for Ukrainian firms, according to AFP news agency's vice president of Unas forwarding association.
The Slovakian drivers had previously halted the border crossing from December 1 to 4. Now they plan to restrict crossings to just four trucks per hour. However, passenger traffic will continue uninterrupted. The protest will presumably carry on until December 30.
On Monday, local Polish authorities ended their approval of the protests at one border crossing. Yet, Poland and Ukraine have not yet agreed on a resolution, as reported by the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure when questioned by AFP. Polish Prime Minister-designate Donald Tusk claimed he would resolve the impasse on Tuesday.
Polish and Slovakian freight forwarders accuse Ukrainian companies of engaged in "unfair competition" following the EU's suspension of certain border transport conditions due to the Russian conflict in Ukraine's neighboring nation. As a result, freight traffic effectively came to a standstill due to the blockades.
Further Insights
The stands of the involved parties
The Slovakian truckers appeal to stricter EU rules to counter the permitting practices for Ukrainian companies, which they believe undermines their employment opportunities. Meanwhile, Poland presses for the reinstatement of permitting practices for Ukrainian carriers that the EU abolished. The Ukrainian government rejects this and has opted against the permitting practice in order to hamper Russian war funding.
Wider context
The protests echo similar actions taken by Romanian farmers and truckers, who have rallied against high business costs and environmental regulations. Moreover, Zimbabwean transport workers employed by the Slovakian Hegelmann Group have recently staged a strike due to poor working conditions, underlining the challenging conditions in the European road transport sector.
In response to the war in Ukraine, the EU is emphasizing efforts towards energy efficiency and renewable energy sources to offset the disruptions to Slovakia and other nations' gas supplies.
