About 3,000 trucks are waiting in queues at the Polish border with Ukraine

Three checkpoints on the Polish-Ukrainian border remain blocked, while one is operational. Hundreds of trucks are waiting in line at the checkpoint.

Blocking the Polish border: DPSU commented on the situation at checkpoints In total, there are over 2,000 trucks in queues on the border of Ukraine and Poland, with about a thousand on other sections of the border. This was announced by the spokesman of the State Border Service, Andriy Demchenko.

"The Rawa-Ruska-Grebenne, Krakiwiec-Korchowa, and Jagodyn-Dorohusk checkpoints are still blocked. According to information from the Polish Border Guard, as of this morning, 850 trucks are standing in line towards Poland in these three directions"
the spokesman of the State Border Service, Andriy Demchenko.

Demchenko recalled that on January 6, around 9 p.m., traffic towards the "Shegini-Medyka" checkpoint was unblocked, but queues still remain — as of this morning, there are 1,200 trucks.

In other areas of the border, truck traffic is not blocked. The queue is maintained in Slovakia towards Ukraine at the Uzhhorod checkpoint. As of this morning, about 450 trucks are waiting. In Hungary, there is also a queue of trucks — 500 trucks — towards the "Tysa" checkpoint, the spokesman said.

Let us recall that on December 6, the Polish government agreed with farmers to suspend the protest at the "Medyka-Szeghini" checkpoint. The minister agreed to implement all the farmers' demands.

From January 6, truck traffic resumed in Poland on the road to the "Medyka - Szegyny" border crossing.

Polish carriers blocked truck traffic on the border with Ukraine on November 6, 2023, at the "Jagodin - Dorohusk", "Krakowiec - Korchowa", and "Rava-Ruska - Hrebene" crossings. On November 23, Polish farmers joined them at the Sheghini-Medyka checkpoint and presented their demands. Among the main demands is the restoration of the practice of permits for Ukrainian carriers, canceled by the agreement with the European Union until June 30, 2024.

The European Commission may punish Poland for blocking the border with Ukraine

The European Commission may initiate infringement proceedings against Poland if the government does not solve the problem of carriers blocking border crossings with Ukraine. A representative of the European Commission told RMF FM that Polish authorities are obliged under EU law to ensure the free flow of goods from Ukraine, including Ukrainian trucks at border crossings.

Some EC members believe that the Polish authorities are not doing everything they can to solve the problem and end the protest of Polish carriers.

European Commission is considering whether the Polish authorities have violated the EU regulation on trade liberalization with Ukraine, recently extended until June 2024. Officials in Brussels must now examine the legal basis for initiating infringement proceedings.

Officially, the EC does not want to comment on the actions it may take towards Poland, claiming that it is still in talks with Warsaw and Kyiv.

"The European Commission is still in contact with the authorities of both countries. We cannot comment on potential measures because talks are ongoing"
said the EC representative.