Ukraine proposes Poland to open additional border crossing points

MOSCOW. Nov 24 (Interfax) - Ukraine has proposed Poland to open an additional border crossing point, and possibly several of them, for empty trucks, Ukrainian First Deputy Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Taras Vysotsky said on the national telethon following the trilateral talks between Ukraine, Poland and the European Commission on Thursday.

"When it comes to the crossing [of the Ukrainian-Polish border], an idea of opening an additional checkpoint, at least one, or perhaps it could be several, for the passage of empty trucks, is being discussed with the Polish side now. It will enable accelerating the truck traffic in both directions, which will help Ukrainian and Polish carriers to work better," Ukrainian media outlets quoted him as saying.

According to the deputy minister, Ukraine and the European Commission share the same vision, the protest organized by Polish carriers does not meet their stated goals.

"We see instances when they don't let humanitarian cargoes pass. This is why it is a violation of the basis international conventions dealing with free traffic of critical goods," Vysotsky said, adding that this argument would be brought up at the Saturday talks of the Ukrainian and Polish governments.

The deputy minister confirmed that the blockade of the Ukrainian-Polish border caused even more damage on Ukrainian exporters which were forced to use longer detours to comply with agreements on deliveries of goods. It is currently difficult to estimate the ultimate damage cost, but it is already hundreds of millions of hryvni.

"Hopefully, it [the strike] ultimately ends, and the amount of losses does not reach millions of euros," Vysotsky said.

As reported, because of the ongoing protest organized by Polish carriers at the Yagodin-Dorohusk, Krakovets-Korczowa and Rava Russkaya-Hrebenne checkpoints on November 6, the lines outside the blocked border crossing points on the Ukrainian-Polish border from the Polish side stretched out to 40 kilometers.

Additionally, on November 23, Polish carriers extended their protest to the Medyka checkpoint adjacent to the Ukrainian Shegini checkpoint.