State Duma deputies want to ban the passage of Polish trucks in Russia

The deputies of the State Duma unanimously supported the ban on the passage of Polish trucks through the territory of Russia. This was announced on May 23 by the speaker of the lower house of parliament Vyacheslav Volodin in his Telegram channel. Parliamentarians also want to ban carriers from Poland from refueling at Russian gas stations at local prices, setting the cost of fuel for them at the level of prices of the European Union (EU).

“As a result of the decision, the Poles will lose about 8.5 billion euros of income received at the expense of Russia. The leadership of Poland must answer for the demolition of monuments to our soldiers and officers, for the Russophobic policy, starting with explaining their actions to more than 20,000 drivers who, because of their actions, will lose their jobs, and about 2,000 Polish transport companies will go bankrupt,” wrote Volodin.

The decision of the State Duma is formalized in the form of an appeal to the government to take measures against Polish road carriers “in connection with the anti-Russian policy of the authorities of the republic.” The corresponding document was registered in the State Duma legislative support system on May 22.

In fact, the deputies proposed to tighten the restrictions on the movement of European heavy trucks in Russia, which were introduced at the end of September last year as a response to the ban on Russian and Belarusian carriers from traveling through the EU. From the moment the restrictions were introduced, trucks began to travel with reloading at border checkpoints or with reloading goods at customs terminals.

But along with the restrictions from the Russian side, conditions were also approved under which the ban on the passage of foreign heavy trucks does not apply. In particular, transportation from the territory of foreign countries to the Kaliningrad region and back, as well as the transportation of a wide range of goods. Among such cargoes are most food products, live animals, pharmaceutical products, alcohol, glass and ceramics, electrical machinery and equipment, reactors, various tools and equipment.

In the event of a complete ban on Polish carriers, it will be impossible to carry out part of the goods that fall under the exceptions, says Olga Fedotkina, executive director of the National Union of Experts in the field of transport and logistics. She emphasizes that among such cargoes there are positions that either require a strict temperature regime, or are complex and fragile devices, and their reloading from one truck to another is impossible. Moreover, food products will require re-issuance of veterinary and accompanying documents in temporary storage warehouses, and such a mechanism is not provided for by the current regulatory framework, Fedotkina explains.

According to the Duma regulations, the lower house of parliament has the right to adopt statements and appeals by a majority of votes, which are drawn up as resolutions. First, the text is submitted to the council of the chamber, and then adopted at the plenary session. In the near future, the Cabinet of Ministers should consider it and the government should sign a corresponding decree, says a Vedomosti source in the State Duma. According to him, the government will support the proposal of the Duma.

At the same time, the appeals of the State Duma are not binding and are advisory in nature. For example, for the past 30 years, the State Duma has annually adopted an appeal to the UN on the need to end the economic, commercial and financial blockade of the Republic of Cuba by the United States. But there are also texts of appeals that are supported by the executive branch or the president. For example, on February 15, 2022, the State Duma adopted an appeal to the president submitted by deputies of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation to recognize the independence of the DNR and LNR.