Slovak carriers threaten to block the border with Ukraine: when can this happen?

Slovak carriers threaten to block the border with Ukraine / Collage 24 Channel

The Slovak Union of Transporters, or UNAS for short, said on November 28 that it may begin blocking its border with Ukraine. This could happen as early as December 1, 2023.

The carriers emphasized that they want to set up a blockade at the Vyshnee Nemetskoye border checkpoint. They seek to abolish the liberalization of transportation for Ukrainian carriers.

Slovaks threaten to block border to trucks

According to a released statement by Slovak border guards, the closure of checkpoints between Ukraine and Poland has led to a noticeable increase in the number of trucks entering Slovakia. They noted that the Polish authorities do not interfere with the movement of humanitarian and military cargo, so it is obvious that “it is commercial cargo that enters the country.”

However, this commercial transport, like humanitarian transport, is exempt from the need to obtain transport permits and other rules and regulations that must be observed by other EU carriers, UNAS noted.

Slovak carriers noted that if the problem with the liberalization of commercial transport for Ukraine is not resolved, UNAS threatens to start a border blockade.

However, Reuters journalists said that the leader of the Slovak Union of Transporters, Stanislav Skala, decided to postpone the decision on the blockade of Vysny Nemecki until the upcoming meeting of EU transport ministers on December 4.

Despite this, he suggests a lack of progress in the discussions, indicating that the Ukrainian side and the European Commission seem unwilling to compromise with Polish and Slovak carriers.

Slovakia has already blocked the border to Ukraine

• On November 21, the State Border Service said that Slovak carriers began to block the border for Ukrainian trucks. In particular, the Slovaks blocked the Vyshne Nemetskoe border checkpoint.
• Subsequently, the Slovak side announced that it would allow one truck per hour from Ukraine through the Vyshne-Nemetske – Uzhgorod checkpoint. And in our state – 4 trucks per hour.
• Already on November 22, the State Border Guard Service reported that the Slovaks had temporarily unblocked the border for our state. As of November 24, our trucks were passing through as normal.