Truckers and farmers in Poland have taken action by blocking the Medyka border crossing with Ukraine, one of the busiest in the region, in protest. This blockade has caused long queues of lorries stretching for miles and has affected transport flow between the European Union and Ukraine.
The protest is a response to Ukrainian companies offering cheaper services and now transporting goods within the EU, competing with Polish truckers. They are demanding the reintroduction of a permit system for Ukrainian and EU truckers entering each other’s territories, even after the system was lifted following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Leader of the Committee to Protect Transporters and Transport Employers, Tomasz Borkowski, stated that the goal is to end the protest as soon as possible, acknowledging the strain it is causing for everyone involved.
The protesters have no plans to give up until their demands are met. They are also calling for measures to prevent Belarusian and Russian hauliers from setting up companies in Poland to bypass sanctions, as well as to exclude empty trucks from the EU from an electronic queuing system in Ukraine.
The current waiting time for trucks to cross at Medyka is 127 hours, according to data from the Polish border guard. The protest at Medyka is not only led by truckers, but farmers are also involved, demanding government support to address low grain prices.
Ukraine has expressed concern over the protest’s impact on its fragile economy, as it hampers exports and blocks essential supplies such as motor vehicle gas (LPG) from entering the country. With Ukraine’s Black Sea ports virtually blocked by Russia, businesses are relying on roads and railways to reroute exports and imports.
According to Ukraine’s Infrastructure Ministry, an average of 40,000-50,000 trucks cross the border with Poland per month via eight existing crossings, twice as many as before the war. Most of the goods are transported by Ukraine’s own fleet.
It is estimated that only two trucks per hour are currently being allowed through at Medyka and there are exemptions for humanitarian aid and war supplies. The protest is having a direct effect on Ukraine’s economy, especially during this wartime period.
It remains to be seen how this protest will affect the relations between Poland and Ukraine, as well as the broader transport industry in the region.
(Reporting by Karol Badohal, writing by Alan Charlish, editing by Susan Fenton)
