Polish protesters manage to agree on unloaded trucks entering Poland at Yagodin checkpoint using separate e-Queue system
MOSCOW. Dec 19 (Interfax) - Polish protesters have managed to agree on an additional option for unloaded trucks traveling from Ukraine to enter Poland using a separate e-Queue electronic system at the major Yagodin-Dorohusk border checkpoint, Ukrainian media reported on Tuesday, citing Rafal Mekler, the leader of the protesting truck drivers, as saying on social media.
Such solutions show there is some progress, but they are still far from resolving the "problem," he said.
"Despite the fact that an additional checkpoint in Dolgobychuv (without e-Queue ) has also been opened, exiting Ukraine still takes six days," Mekler said, while illustrating the post with a screenshot from the e-Queue electronic system.
Unloaded trucks standing in this queue are expected to start moving at noon on December 20, the system said. There are 178 vehicles registered in the queue, with 40 minutes given for each of them to cross the border checkpoint.
At the same time, the waiting time is currently 15-16 days with the note "queue delayed" in the usual e-Queue system at this border checkpoint, whose blockade from the Polish side was resumed the day before.
As reported, Polish truck drivers started blocking the Yagodin-Dorohusk, Krakovets-Korczowa and Rava Russkaya-Hrebenne checkpoints on November 6. Oszukana Wies (Deceived Village) joined the protest blocking the Shegini-Medyka border crossing on November 22, with only checkpoints for empty vehicles and vans remained unblocked.
The organizers of the blockade, who demand the abolition of the "visa-free transport" for Ukraine, said that, in accordance with the official permission granted by the local authorities, it will last until January 3, 2024. However, there are already permits at a number of checkpoints to extend it until February, and a new blockade of the Dorohusk-Yagodin checkpoint, as reported by the Polish media, is announced to last until March inclusive.
Ukraine hoped the border would be fully unblocked after the new government led by Donald Tusk came to power in Poland at the beginning of this week, but so far this has not happened anywhere but Dorohusk.
Ukrainian exports by road fell 26.7% to 783,000 tonnes in November month-on-month, and imports dropped 23.5% to 967,100 tonnes, the Ukrainian State Customs Service said. In particular, Ukrainian exports via Poland declined 39.3% to 282,300 tonnes, while imports dropped 44.6% to 511,600 tonnes. Out of the four blocked border checkpoints, the biggest decline was recorded at the Yagodin-Dorohusk checkpoint, with exports by truck falling almost 80% to 32,400 tonnes and imports 67.7% to 113,700 tonnes.