Polish farmers block the border with Ukraine again
4 June 2024 13:04
Polish farmers are resuming the blockade of the Ukrainian border. This was reported by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, reports [Kommersant]
Thus, on 4 June, the Polish side announced the start of blocking traffic to the Rava-Ruska-Grebenne checkpoint.
As before, representatives of farms in Poland are demanding to reduce the import of grain crops from Ukraine.
As part of the announced blockade, protesters are not allowing trucks to leave Ukraine. At the same time, trucks are entering Ukraine according to the previously established schedule – 12 vehicles per 12 hours, with one additional pass for 4 trucks with humanitarian aid per hour.
Other categories of vehicles are crossing in both directions as usual. As of 11:20 a.m., the queue of trucks leaving Ukraine for Poland through Hrebenne consisted of 33 vehicles registered in the electronic queue.
Border blockade and trade wars
Polish farmers have started a blockade of the border with Ukraine due to the influx of Ukrainian grain, which, according to the Poles, lowers prices for their products and makes them less competitive. Farmers in Poland claim that this negatively affects their income, as Ukrainian grain is sold at lower prices, which reduces the value of local products.
The main demand of the protesters is to cancel the preferential trade regime with Ukraine and return the permit system for importing goods to Poland.
As part of the protest, Polish farmers blocked truck traffic, even transit traffic, at checkpoints on the Ukrainian-Polish border, and sometimes even the movement of freight trains across the border. On several occasions, protesters poured Ukrainian grain directly onto the ground.
At the end of April this year, Polish farmers unblocked the Rava-Ruska checkpoint on the border with Ukraine to allow trucks to pass through. At the same time, trucks transporting grain crops were still not allowed to enter Poland.
