Ukrainian drivers at the Krakowiec-Korczowa checkpoint go on hunger strike
Kyiv • UNN
Ukrainian drivers at the Krakowiec-Korczowa border with Poland go on a hunger strike, demanding more trucks to pass through amid a blockade by Polish carriers.
Ukrainian drivers who are blocked on the border with Poland, namely at the Krakowiec-Korczowa checkpoint, have gone on a hunger strike. This was reported to UNN by Viktor Kozak, coordinator of the newly created headquarters for assisting Ukrainian drivers in Poland.
When asked if the drivers waiting to enter Ukraine at the Krakowiec-Korczowa checkpoint were on a hunger strike, Kozak replied: "Yes."
Details
According to Suspilne, the drivers demand that the Polish strikers let more trucks through.
"I'm a refrigerator driver, I'm coming from Klaipeda (Lithuania - ed.). I've been stuck for a week. I am in the priority line, so you understand. The point is that tilt trucks carry cargo, fuel, and my colleagues who carry flammable ones. We have priority. Here in line 1207, there are only us, refrigerated trucks and fuel trucks," said driver Oleksandr Khimich.
READ ALSO: 20 Ukrainian drivers evacuated from the Polish border due to strike
Some of the drivers were going to negotiate with Polish protesters, but were not allowed to pass by local police. The drivers demand that 14 trucks per hour be allowed to pass.
"We wanted to take part in a peaceful action - negotiations with the protesters. The police blocked us. About 250 people on one side. We were not allowed to reach the protesters. The Polish police gave permission for three men, a volunteer, to go, and they listened to our demands, but no one accepted them. We are going on a hunger strike, but now we are still waiting for a meeting with the consul," said another driver.
More than 200 Ukrainian drivers are reportedly stranded on a field road. A consul from the Consulate General of Ukraine in Lublin, Vasyl Yordan, came to see them. He invited two Ukrainian drivers to go together to the Polish protesters.
Addendum
The coordinator of the headquarters told about the attempt of Ukrainian drivers to negotiate with Polish carriers at the border.
As of this morning, about 2.1 thousand trucks were queuing in Poland toward the border with Ukraine amid the blockade of Polish carriers.
