On the Polish-Ukrainian border, protesters and Polish police block the passage of Ukrainian passenger buses in both directions without any explanation
This was reported by Oleksandr Kubrakov, Minister of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine.
“There is bad news coming from the blocked Polish border. Protesters and police are stopping buses traveling to and from Poland. Passengers are being held without any explanation,” he wrote.
Kubrakov emphasized that such actions are unacceptable against Ukrainian citizens. He stated that during the war in Ukraine, the passengers of such buses are women with young children, socially vulnerable people, military personnel returning or going to training, and people in transit.
“The attempt to make them hostages of the protest seems inappropriate for the civilized world,” the minister commented.
What is known about the protests on the Ukrainian-Polish border
On February 7, Polish farmers sent an official notice to resume strikes on the border with Ukraine. The blocking of the Dorohusk-Yahodyn checkpoint began on February 9. The protest was approved by the local authorities until March 9.
Earlier, the Polish farmers’ union Solidarity announced a general strike across the country on February 9. At the time, it was said that it would begin with the blockade of all checkpoints on the border with Ukraine, as well as the blocking of roads and highways in individual voivodeships.
The reason for the renewed protests is simple: according to one of the organizers, Roman Kondruv, it is because the government has done nothing to address the problems of technical grain from Ukraine since the previous protests.
On February 12, at the Ukrainian-Polish border, near the Yagodyn-Dorohusk checkpoint, Poles poured grain from Ukrainian trucks onto the ground.
On February 20, they promised to block all border crossings with Ukraine for a month. Ukrainian carriers held their own peaceful protest in response to the actions of Polish farmers. The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine stated that it had not received information from the Polish side regarding the complete blocking of the border. In response to the Polish blockade, Ukrainian carriers are preparing a campaign at three checkpoints.
On February 20, Polish farmers on the border with Ukraine blocked the railroad and poured grain out of a freight car. Later it turned out that it was headed for Germany.
In the evening of February 20, Polish protesters eased traffic restrictions near the border with Ukraine at two checkpoints, including Hrebenne-Rava Ruska, and began letting cars through.
Poland’s Consul General in Lviv condemned the border blockade and apologized to Ukraine, while Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal later said that Ukraine and Poland were “ready for reasonable compromises” on negotiations on the situation at the border.
Polish protesters have temporarily stopped blocking the Ustyluh-Zosyn checkpoint after blocking it the day before.
On February 25, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal said that the first offenders on the Ukrainian-Polish border had already been brought to justice by Poland, and that they face imprisonment.
In total, Ukraine lost about UAH 8 billion in customs payments, and businesses lost more than EUR 1.5 billion due to the blocking of the border by Polish protesters.
