Polish farmers are planning to block roads leading to railway transshipment stations and seaports

This was announced by the spokesperson of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Andriy Demchenko, during a telethon.

“We did not receive information from the Polish border guards that other directions would be blocked. But it should be noted that there are 9 directions at the border with Poland, 6 of which are currently blocked or where traffic is significantly complicated for freight vehicles”, he said.

Demchenko emphasized that these three border crossing points, despite still being officially open, have their own specific rules.

“Somewhere, empty freight vehicles weighing over 7.5 tons can cross the border, while other directions are for the movement of smaller trucks in both directions”, he explained.

It is worth noting that currently, the following border crossings are blocked for the free movement of trucks: “Yahodyn – Dorohusk,” “Uhryniv – Dolhobychiv,” “Ustyluh – Zosin,” “Shehyni – Medyka,” “Rava-Ruska – Hrebenne,” and “Krakovets – Korczowa”.

Also, a video has appeared online showing Polish protesters starting a protest action on the railways. People with flags and placards are protesting against Ukrainians.

Earlier, Polish farmers announced that on February 20, they would block all border crossings between Poland and Ukraine, as well as access roads to railway transshipment stations and seaports.

Reasons for strikes at checkpoints

The protests by farmers have been ongoing for many weeks. They claim that it is related to the decision of the European Commission to extend the suspension of import duties for agricultural goods from Ukraine until 2024. Last week, Hungarian farmers joined the Poles and staged a protest near the “Zahony” checkpoint on the border with Ukraine. The strikers insist that products coming from outside the European Union should be subject to the same rules as EU farmers, and Brussels should protect the interests of its own farmers, “rather than trying to destroy the European countryside with its actions”.

Protesters also complain that Ukraine allegedly exports products with an increased GMO content, and they oppose this. However, it is worth noting that the true reasons for border blockades are more political than economic. The organizers of the blockade in Poland, the recently created “Committee for the Protection of Carriers and Employers in the Transport Industry”, claim that the action is economic and not political. However, their actions have not found support among the authorities and other organizations of carriers. Nevertheless, the protest is being actively supported by the consistent anti-Ukrainian and anti-European party “Konfederacja”, whose representatives are the most vocal in expressing anti-Ukrainian statements, fighting against Ukrainian refugees in the media, and already billing for assistance to Ukraine and its citizens.

Photo: Getty Images