Slovak truckers announce blockade of border with Ukraine from December 1

The Union of Haulers of Slovakia (UNAS) announced on Facebook that it is going to block the Vyšné Nemecké checkpoint on the border with Ukraine from December 1.

The head of UNAS, Stanislav Skala, said that Slovak carriers are going to wait for the position of the Slovak Ministry of Transport until Thursday before making a final decision.

Reuters writes that a meeting of European transport ministers will be held in Brussels on December 4, but Skala is not going to wait for its results.

"It seems that neither the Ukrainian side nor the European Commission wants to back down," he said.

On November 6, a strike by Polish truck drivers began in the afternoon at border crossings along the Polish-Ukrainian frontier. As a result, multi-kilometer lines consisting of hundreds of trucks developed at the three largest checkpoints.

The carriers were reportedly protesting the situation in which they allege Ukrainian truck drivers are "taking jobs away from Poles."

Three checkpoints were blocked as a result: Korczowa – Krakivets, Hrebenne – Rava-Ruska, and Dorohusk – Yahodyn. The protesters pledged to continue the blockade until January 3, 2024, demanding that Polish authorities address their concerns. On November 23, the fourth checkpoint, Medyka – Shehyni, was blocked too.

Slovak colleagues at UNAS followed them with a warning campaign on November 16, and on November 21, the Slovak border was blocked for half a day on the private initiative of one of UNAS' supporters.