As of 10 pm on 13 January, Romania formers have resumed the movement of Ukraine’s trucks through the “Porubne-Siret” checkpoint, Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service said late on 13 January.
On the same day, on 13 January, Romania farmers blocked truck traffic at the Romanian border crossing point “Siret,” across from the Ukrainian “Porubne.” The reasons for the blocking were unknown. According to the border guards, over 820 vehicles have registered in the electronic queue to cross the border through the Porubne checkpoint.
Romania has become one of the key countries for the transit of Ukrainian products after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the blockade of sea routes.
Its role increased after Polish truckers started a blockade of Ukrainian trucks at border crossing points in late November. Slovakian truckers joined them.
- On 6 November, dozens of Polish truck drivers blocked three border crossings with Ukraine and expanded it to a fourth crossing. The Polish protesters demanded the return of permits for Ukrainian carriers, tougher EU transportation requirements, prohibiting non-EU company registration, access to Ukraine’s Shlyakh system for eligible drivers, separate border queues for EU cars in eCherha, and dedicated lanes for empty vehicles.
- On 13 November, talks between Ukraine and Poland at the countries’ border failed to resolve the strike, and four days later, nearly 3,000 trucks had congested at the Polish-Ukrainian border.
- The organizers of the Polish trucker strike at the Ukrainian border had close ties to Russia and supported Russia’s occupation of Crimea.
- The protest claimed its first casualty on 22 November, when a 56-year-old Ukrainian truck driver who was waiting to cross the border into Ukraine died.
- On 27 November, Poland presented Ukraine with carrier demands: implementation of commercial permits for Ukrainian companies, except those transporting humanitarian/military goods, plus suspension and verification of licenses for companies opened after the Ukraine war outbreak.
- At the end of December, it was reported that the governments of Ukraine and Poland agreed on an action plan to unblock the border, but there has not yet been a complete unblocking.
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