Trans.INFO sat down with Serhiy Derkach, the Deputy Minister of Community Development, Territories, and Infrastructure of Ukraine, to explore the concessions the Ukrainian side is willing to make and its vision for resolving the crisis.
Hanna Skripal, Trans.INFO: When can we expect the border to be unlocked, and what steps are being taken to expedite the process?
Serhiy Derkach, Deputy Minister of Community Development, Territories, and Infrastructure of Ukraine: We hope for a resolution soon, though specifying a date is challenging. Our scheduled meeting with the new Minister of Infrastructure of Poland, Dariusz Klimczak, this week, is a crucial step in restoring border crossings. It’s essential that the minister takes a responsible approach to unblocking the border.
He has already demonstrated commitment by meeting with protesters shortly after his appointment. We are also gearing up for a meeting with the joint committee on the Agreement on the liberalisation of transportation with the European Union, set for Monday, December 18. If we discuss all issues with the European Commission and Polish authorities, the strike could potentially end this week.
The ongoing blockade is causing significant losses for Ukraine and EU countries. What concessions is the Ukrainian government prepared to make to restore border operations?
The strike is detrimental to Ukraine, Poland, and the European Union. It also puts drivers in challenging conditions. Compounding the situation, protesters often fail to honor their promises, such as the number of vehicles allowed to cross the border per day or hour.
Trucks carrying humanitarian aid and dangerous goods are sometimes denied passage, leading to hundreds of appeals from drivers and transporters. Fuel is particularly crucial for us, especially in winter during the heating season. Currently, logistical issues are a key economic concern and a matter of survival for Ukraine.
The Polish protesters highlight concerns about the influx of Ukrainian drivers and lorries. How does the Ukrainian Government address this issue?
Polish protesters raise two primary concerns; the increasing number of Ukrainian drivers and lorries, and the waiting time at the border.
Regarding the first issue, Ukraine cannot control Poland’s strategic location, allowing quick access to any European country. Additionally, our neighboring country now sends significantly more exports to Ukraine than before the full-scale invasion.
The surge in road transport is unrelated to the Transport Liberalisation Agreement; it’s an objective development. Artificially reducing the number of transports by revoking permits is not the right solution.
Polish carriers argue that Ukrainian drivers violate cabotage rules. What is your response to these allegations?
The Slovak Ministry of Transport conducted inspections of Ukrainian freight vehicles, checking over fifty machines and finding only two minor violations.
The issues were related to work and rest time, not cabotage. Similarly, data from inspections of 15,000 Ukrainian carriers over ten months did not reveal cabotage problems. If there were any isolated cases of cabotage violations, they are exceptional.
What about licenses for international transportation?
Currently, trucks leaving Ukraine must use the “Electronic queue” system. Ukrainian cars are automatically checked against the database of licensees during registration.
While this applies to Ukrainian drivers, it doesn’t cover foreign drivers. However, the system works well for Ukrainian drivers, who present electronic licenses either through a QR code or by logging into the system. Every truck leaving Ukraine must be licensed, and leaving without one is impossible.
Polish carriers claim they are fined when they cannot leave Ukraine on time. How does Ukraine handle this situation?
Until recently, foreign drivers could legally stay in Ukraine for up to 20 days. If drivers encounter delays beyond this due to legitimate reasons, they or their companies need to apply to the customs office.
Customs doesn’t fine drivers who wait in line and are unable to cross the border on time due to delays. Ukrainian customs authorities have not received information about fines imposed on Polish carriers, despite requests for clarification.
What about the issue of waiting times at the border? The problem of long queues existed even before the current blockade.
The longer waiting times are a result of the increased number of vehicles, which has doubled since the full-scale invasion. Efficient customs and border services are necessary for swift transport, requiring both Ukraine and Poland to take urgent and long-term measures. Improving the customs and border services’ efficiency is crucial.
According to the signed Memorandum, Poland currently fulfills about 70 percent of the agreed-upon number of vehicles crossing the border. Full implementation of the Memorandum could allow an additional 20,000 cars to pass, eliminating queues.
The situation with phytosanitary and veterinary control is particularly challenging. What steps are being taken to address this?
The Yagodyn-Dorogusk crossing point, the largest with Poland, has good traffic statistics, processing an average of 650-660 vehicles daily. However, only 20 of these undergo phytosanitary controls.
Comparatively, other border checkpoints show higher phytosanitary and veterinary control statistics. Proposals to open new checkpoints on temporary infrastructure, like the “Nyzhankovichi-Malchovice” checkpoint, remain unanswered.
Will additional crossings be opened for empty vehicles?
Proposals to open crossings for empty trucks at checkpoints such as “Ugryniv-Dolgobychuv,” “Hrushiv-Budomiezh,” and „Smilnytsia-Krostsenko” have been made.
While colleagues suggest that the road conditions are unsuitable for heavy trucks, we hope the new Polish government will consider approving the plan for developing and creating new checkpoints. Expanding the infrastructure of border crossing points is crucial to alleviate queues.
The Agreement on joint control at checkpoints on the Polish-Ukrainian border has not been signed. What challenges are preventing an agreement?
Disagreements with the Polish side have stalled the agreement for 18 months. Issues include customs clearance of goods confiscation, a matter our Polish colleagues prohibited us from handling due to the location on Polish territory. We’ve sought clarification from the European Commission and recently received comments.
The “transport visa-free” issue is a constant demand of Polish carriers for the return of permits. What is your stance on this?
The key issue is that the border blockade must stop. While specific permit-related problems can be resolved, a global return of permits would severely impact Ukraine’s economy.
If sea and aviation operations resume or martial law ends, discussions about permit returns may be possible. However, permits are currently crucial for the unhindered movement of goods, and this remains the only means of export and import. A defeat for Ukraine would not benefit Europe, especially Poland.
How can overlapping borders between Slovakia and Hungary be avoided?
Avoiding border blockades is essential. Discussions with both Poland and the European Commission are necessary to create safeguards at the EU level against such situations.
Different countries must address protests and their citizens’ concerns through internal problem-solving mechanisms. Supporting carriers with subsidies from the state budget is one option. Creating safeguards at the EU level is crucial to prevent such issues.
How challenging is Ukraine’s integration into Europe?
The majority of Ukrainians traveling and working in Europe already feel like part of it. While legislative integration into European directives remains, we fulfilled about 98 percent of the candidate requirements to move towards the European Union.
In some areas, we even surpass European countries. For instance, Ukraine has well-developed digitalisation of several state services. We are committed to accelerating the integration process, making it seamless for both Ukraine and EU countries.
Trans.INFO asked the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure for comment in reaction to this interview. The Ministry emphasised that its position on the border blockade can be found here.