Polish farmers resume blockade of 2 crossings on Ukrainian border

MOSCOW. April 18 (Interfax) - Polish farmers have resumed the blockade of roads leading to the Korczowa-Krakovets and Medyka-Shegini crossing points on the border with Ukraine, Ukrainian media reported with reference to the Ukrainian State Border Service.

"Protesters in Poland resorted to such steps after 9:00 a.m. today. They are blocking trucks from travelling to Ukraine through the Krakovets crossing and both those departing and entering Poland through Shegini. According to available information, the protesters are planning to obstruct their traffic through Krakovets until 9:00 a.m. April 20 and through Shegini until 9:00 a.m. April 19," it said.

On Thursday morning, about 1,500 trucks were waiting on the Polish side of the border to travel to Ukraine, the Ukrainian Border Service said. The passage of cars and buses was not obstructed.

As of March 24, Polish farmers were blocking the Ugrinov-Dolhobyczow, Rava Russka-Hrebenne, and Yagodin-Dorohusk border crossings to trucks. As reported earlier this week, they lifted the blockade of the Ugrinov-Dolhobyczow crossing.

Polish farmers have been blocking a number of routes leading to crossings on the Ukrainian border since February to protest against duty-free shipments of cheap Ukrainian agrifood to Poland and other EU countries, which had a negative effect on local farmers. Under their pressure, Poland imposed unilateral restrictions on imports and transit shipments of a number of agricultural products from Ukraine. At the peak of the protests, they were blocking six crossings, including Korczowa-Krakovets and Medyka-Shegini.