Over 1,000 trucks stuck at Shehyni due to strike

This was announced by the vice president of the Association of International Road Carriers Volodymyr Balin at a briefing at Ukrinform.

"Today, 600-700 vehicles are at each border - Dorohusk, Hrebenne, and Korczowa. The number of cars has decreased - some cars are allowed through, some cars went around. We know of carriers who left their vehicles in the parking lot and drove away because the goods are not perishable. They have agreed with the consignees that as long as this situation is happening, the trucks will stay in Poland," Balin said.

At the same time, more than 1,000 cars have already accumulated at the Shehyni-Medyka checkpoint, which until last week was processing about 350 cars a day, and the queue continues to grow.

According to Balin, it is difficult to redirect cars to other checkpoints, as they would have to go through additional countries and undergo additional customs procedures.

"That's why those who are already in line - I don't think they will move anywhere. They will wait. Those who are now planning a trip from the EU to Ukraine, they are trying to go through Uzhhorod-Vyšné Nemecké from Slovakia, Chop-Záhony from Hungary. Or we even know of importers who are now using trucks to transport perishable goods through Uhryniv," he said.

As Ukrinform reported, Polish carriers began an indefinite protest on November 6. Among the main demands to the Ukrainian government is the return of the practice of permits for Ukrainian carriers, which was canceled by the agreement with the EU until June 30, 2024. The protesters want the agreement to be terminated and the permit regime to be restored from January 1.

The strike led to a complete halt in traffic at three border crossings between Poland and Ukraine: Dorohusk-Yahodyn, Korczowa-Krakivets, and Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska. Queues of Ukrainian trucks have formed at the border for several kilometers, with waiting times of up to ten days.

Negotiations at the state level have so far yielded no results.

On November 23, Polish farmers joined the protest of local carriers and, to put forward their demands, began a blockade of freight traffic at the Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint near Przemysl.