2023-12-01 19:08:11
Slovak freight forwarders are blocking the EU member state’s only truck border crossing with Ukraine. The reason is concern regarding cheaper competition from Ukrainian transport companies. The Slovak association UNAS said they are fighting to preserve local jobs in the logistics industry. The protest in Vysne Nemecke began on Friday followingnoon and had no time limit.
“We will stay here until measures are taken to limit competition from Ukrainian trucks,” said Unas Vice President Rastislav Curma. “We want to support our Polish colleagues.”
The Slovak transport companies are joining a blockade on the Polish-Ukrainian border that has been ongoing since the beginning of November. According to the organizers, they want to increase the pressure on politicians to find a solution to their problems before the EU transport ministers’ meeting on Monday.
Ukraine spoke on Friday of a “catastrophic” situation on the border with Poland. The Ukrainian truck drivers “are in such a dramatic situation that they are planning a hunger strike if the situation does not change,” said the Ukrainian parliament’s human rights commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets. There are currently around 2,100 Ukrainian trucks stuck on the Polish side of the border. “The situation is catastrophic,” explained Lubinez.
Both Slovak and Polish transporters are calling for a return to the rules that applied before the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. Until then, Ukrainian transport companies had to apply for a transport permit like other companies from non-EU countries.
Excluded from the Slovakian border blockade are, among other things, perishable food, military and humanitarian goods and animal transport. In addition, four trucks will be allowed through every hour. The police announced that they would try to ensure that operations were as safe and fluid as possible.
There are massive complaints from many affected companies in Western Europe regarding the border blockades in Poland. These recently came from the German automotive supplier Leoni, which belongs to the empire of the Upper Austrian entrepreneur Stefan Pierer (KTM). There were (and are) complaints regarding massive delays at the Polish-Ukrainian border. Waiting times for trucks are now so long that customers can no longer receive deliveries on time, according to several international companies. The automotive supply industry is particularly affected.
If the border problems are not resolved soon, “we may have to withdraw production from Ukraine, even if we are reluctant to do so,” said Ingo Spengler, board member at auto supplier Leoni, recently. The company from Nuremberg employs 5,500 people at two Ukrainian locations. Leoni was in crisis recently and has belonged entirely to Pierer since August. The company has around 90,000 employees worldwide.
1701459196
#Blockades #Ukraine #extend #Poland #Slovakia
