Polish truck drivers are protesting against what they see as unfair competition from their Ukrainian colleagues. The EU scrapped entry permits to help Ukraine, following the beginning of Russia’s war.
Polish truck drivers are currently blocking three border crossings at the Polish-Ukrainian borders. They say they have lost business opportunities due to Ukraine benefitting from unfair competitive advantages.
Bartosz Jasinski, from the Committee for Carriers and Transport Employers, told Euronews his company lost revenues as his work contracts « were taken over by carriers from Ukraine ».
Unlike other truck carriers, Ukrainian truckers do not have to pay for entry permits when entering the EU. The block decided to waive that previous requirement in an effort to bring economic relief to Ukraine, following Russia’s invasion last year.
Lack of reaction from the Polish government
The protesters pointed out that their government is not proposing anything to solve the ongoing dispute.
They told Euronews that they wouldn’t lift the blockade until they presented with reasonable proposals.
There will of course be exceptions – such as humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
« The current Polish government, which cannot deny the merits of supporting Ukraine, was unable to anticipate these threats, » Sonia Sobczyk-Grygiel, a senior economic analyst at Polityka Insight, said.
According to her, Poland’s new government, which is expected to take office later this year, will have more chance than the previous one to successfully negotiate fair competition rules, as it will have a clean sheet with both Kyiv and Brussels.
