Poland preparing to close borders for Russian, Belarusian trucks

MINSK. May 26 (Interfax) - Poland will soon impose a complete ban on Belarusian and Russian trucks entering the country from Belarus, under a draft resolution prepared by the Polish Interior Ministry and administration which was published on the website of the governmental legislation center on Friday.

"Cross-border freight movement via checkpoints [located] along the border with Belarus for trucks, haulage trucks and trailers, including semi-trailers and road trains, registered in Belarus or Russia, has been suspended until further notice," says the document, which is currently undergoing legal approval before it will be sent to be signed off by the interior minister and administration.

The resolution will come into effect the day after it is published, the text states.

It was reported that on May 23 the Russian State Duma voted to ask the government to ban "Polish carriers from transporting goods by road across Russian territory."

Under the proposal, "Polish transport vehicles [would be allowed to] move from the state border of the Russian Federation to the nearest customs terminals to reattach trailers or semi-trailers, or to transfer cargo to trucks [operated by] Russian carriers."

The Duma has also proposed banning Polish carriers from refueling at Russian prices, and charging them the fuel prices set by the European Union.