Court allows Polish truckers to resume blockade at Ukraine border in Dorohusk

This was reported by Radio Lublin. 

On Friday, December 15, the District Court of Lublin considered and upheld the complaint of Polish carriers against the decision of the head of the Dorohusk Commune, Wojciech Sawa. Earlier, he did not approve the permission for the protests because of the "threat to property". Therefore, on Monday, December 18, Polish carriers can start the protest again.

"It is worth noting that this assembly is not intended to prevent border checks, but rather to slow them down," said Piotr Ryng, a judge at the Lublin District Court. 

The court also ruled that the head of the commune could not deny the possibility of organizing a protest, citing the threat of loss of property of a significant size, as he did not demonstrate specific possible losses.

Wojciech Sawa says he has not yet decided whether he will appeal the verdict.

"I have 24 hours to do so. We haven't received the justification yet, we are waiting for it, and only then will we be able to appeal the decision. Looking at the queue today - and it has already reached Dorohucza (a village located on the road to Dorohusk - ed.), I think it will be a huge security threat. The queue has already stretched for 60 kilometers and is likely to grow," commented Wojciech Sawa, the mayor of Dorohusk, on the court's decision.

If he appeals the decision, the case will be transferred to the Court of Appeal in Lublin.

Strikes on the Polish-Ukrainian border: what is known

Strikes have erupted on the Poland-Ukraine border due to increased competition following the opening of international transportation between Ukraine and EU nations. To address this, the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development initiated talks with Poland and the European Commission.

On November 9, a meeting of government officials and carriers blocking the border with Ukraine took place in Poland, but it concluded without any resolution. Simultaneously, the lines of trucks are growing longer. Consequently, Ukraine has suggested to the Polish authorities the initiation of lanes for empty trucks and is currently awaiting their response.

Polish carriers have promised to tighten the blockade on the border with Ukraine. In addition, customs officers have begun to record an increase in truck queues in the Slovak direction.

Ukraine and Poland are preparing claims for damages caused by the blockade of border crossing points due to the rally of Polish carriers. In addition, it has been reported that Polish carriers are not allowing humanitarian aid and dangerous goods to pass through.

Meanwhile, the Polish government has called on Ukraine to cancel the e-queue registration for empty trucks. Poland’s Minister of Agriculture also met with the protesters and offered them a compromise solution.

On December 1, the blocked Ukrainian drivers at the Polish border held talks with the consul. On December 4, the Uhryniv-Dolhobyczów border crossing point opened to empty trucks.

As a result of the protesters' blocking of the border with Ukraine, exports through these checkpoints decreased by 40%, and the state budget of Ukraine lost UAH 9.3 billion due to a shortfall in customs payments. 

Later it became known that the trucks blocked on the border with Poland would be returned to Ukraine by rail. On the evening of December 7, Ukrainian Railways sent the first container train with trucks to Poland, consisting of 23 platforms with 13 loaded tractors and semi-trailers.