Polish farmers have begun blocking the sixth crossing point "Korchova-Krakovec" on the border with Ukraine

This was stated in a comment to Radio Liberty by the spokesperson for the Lviv Border Guard Unit, Oleksandra Kuchkovska.

“According to information from Polish border guards, today at about 11:10 on the territory of Poland, on the road in front of the checkpoint ‘Korchova,’ adjacent to the Ukrainian ‘Krakovec,’ Polish farmers started blocking the movement of cargo vehicles”, she said.

Today, Polish farmers have blocked all crossing points where large trucks with goods can pass. Previously, the strikers promised to block the “Korchova-Krakovec” crossing point until March 8.

Currently, the longest queue of trucks is at the “Korchova-Krakovec” checkpoint – 1730 vehicles. Drivers chose this crossing point, bypassing the crossings that were blocked earlier.

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.

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