Polish lorry drivers continue Ukraine border blockade

There are long lines waiting to cross the border between Poland and Ukraine, snaking along usually quiet roads, between small villages off the main motorway.

Polish haulage firms say the decision by the EU to allow open access to Ukrainian firms by scrapping a permit system placing limits on the number of Ukrainian trucks allowed into the bloc is now killing their business.

Tomek Borkowski is one of the truckers who organized the blockade which has gone on for over a month. He told CGTN the extent of their complaint.

"Before the start of the conflict, Polish companies had a 40 per cent share in the transport market to Ukraine," he said. "At this point, it's only about five per cent. We were pushed out of this market completely by Ukrainian companies, and that is why we want to return to permits so that we can continue to have equal conditions."

Four out of the eight road crossings between Poland and Ukraine are under blockade. Protestors say they are willing to remain until their demands are met.

Borkowski also feels that the EU top brass didn't consider the impact of allowing Ukrainian haulage free access 

He said: "Brussels did not realise the consequences of its actions. As supportive as I am of Ukraine in its fight against Russia, unfortunately, they should have predicted the consequences that resulted from the lack of permits here."

Waiting times to cross the border can be as long as two weeks coming into Poland from Ukraine. Drivers going the other way say they have no idea when they will cross.

One driver, Wolodymir, told CGTN he didn't have much time for those blocking his way. "We have a war in Ukraine going on and we are transporting a lot of cargo that is very important at this time for Ukraine," he complained. "I don't understand why we have been treated that way."

Igor, another Ukrainian driver waiting at the border, raised the question of who is going to have to pay if the produce he is carrying goes rotten?

"If they don't let me through, the fish I am carrying will get spoiled," he told CGTN. "No one will need it then. Who will I have to write off the losses? Who is going to pay for this? Who will be responsible for this? We have here guys with fish and bananas, standing around here for five days. No one is moving. This is very bad."

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Ukrainian drivers don't have to adhere to EU rules on issues like pay and hours worked. Many say that this means Ukrainian haulage firms can massively undercut Polish ones.

Lukasz Wojdyga, Deputy Director of the WEI Centre For Strategic Studies in Warsaw, an ardent supporter of Kyiv, told CGTN that, conflict or not, if Ukraine is given access to the bloc it has to play by EU rules.

"We think it's in both our interests to have Ukraine in the European Union, but still we believe in the European Union as a union of equal rights and equal obligations. You cannot have all the benefits without having the obligation."

Some hope that Donald Tusk's return as Polish Prime Minister could lead to some easing of the situation at the border. His ministers are reaching out to the Polish side for meetings.

Yet the line of trucks in the east of Poland serves as a reminder that, despite strong statements of intent on the road to Ukrainian accession to full EU membership, there remain plenty of potholes.

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