Slovak truckers are considering blocking the main border crossing with Ukraine from Friday to protest against what they consider unfair competition from Ukrainian truckers, the head of the country’s truckers association UNAS said on Tuesday, the 28th of November. The threats follow actions by Polish hauliers, who have been blocking several border crossings with Ukraine for three weeks, demanding stricter conditions for their Ukrainian counterparts, reports Reuters.
Slovak truckers are considering blocking the main border crossing with Ukraine at Vysne Nemecke/Uzhhorod – the only border crossing open to heavy trucks.
Both Polish and Slovak truckers claim that Ukrainian truckers provide services at lower prices and also transport goods within the European Union (EU). Polish hauliers started their protest on the 6th of November, calling on the EU to reinstate the permit system for Ukrainian and EU truck drivers, with exceptions for humanitarian aid and military supplies.
The permit system was abolished after the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year.
Stanislav Skala, head of UNAS, said that unless competition from Ukrainian truckers was to be limited,
Slovak truckers would block the country’s main border crossing with Ukraine from Friday.
Skala said that the meeting of European transport ministers in Brussels on the 4th of December might not make any progress, as neither the Ukrainian side nor the European Commission seemed ready to backdown. He added that a final decision would be taken on Thursday.
Ukraine has expressed concern that the protest by Polish hauliers is damaging its fragile wartime economy. The blockade is reportedly hampering exports and preventing essential supplies such as LPG from entering the country.
Read also: Polish trucking companies to block Ukrainian border crossings in protest
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