Ukrainian deputy infrastructure minister blames Poland for huge lines of trucks at border crossing points

MOSCOW. Sept 5 (Interfax) - The situation on the Ukrainian-Polish border is becoming critical and might evolve into a catastrophe, as lines of trucks on the Ukrainian side of the border have reached 45 kilometers, and the drivers have to spend a week or more in disastrous conditions on the roadsides before crossing the border, Ukrainian media have reported with reference to Deputy Infrastructure Minister Mustafa Nayem.

"The situation is becoming critical. There have been brawls in the lines, and the truckers are threatening to block the road. The main reason behind these lines is known to everyone: it's low efficiency of Polish services responsible for phyto-sanitary and veterinary control," Nayem wrote on social media on Saturday.

"The main indicator is the length of the lines on the Ukrainian and the Polish side. While they vary from ten to 45 kilometers on our side, their maximum length on the Polish side has been five kilometers," he said.

To solve the problem, Ukraine has proposed at numerous meetings that the number of Polish phyto-sanitary and veterinary specialists be increased or that these procedures be moved deeper into Polish territory outside of the border crossing points, Nayem said. Ukraine also offered to dispatch its experts to help their Polish counterparts, he said.