The European truckers’ strike has reached its limit: Hungarians have joined

“They act in their repertoire”

The story of the truckers’ strike has been going on continuously since the beginning of November. However, the end is not yet in sight: the situation is only getting worse. Now Hungary has joined the strike. MK is looking into why the Hungarians decided to support the protest and what the possible outcome of this situation is.

The Ukrainian publication “Strana” reported, citing eyewitnesses, that in Hungary they began to block the entry of Ukrainian trucks. Ukrainian truckers tried to bypass the blocked checkpoint on the border of Slovakia and Ukraine through Hungary. However, activists there also blocked the checkpoint and did not allow Ukrainian trucks into the country. Now, in essence, they are stuck in Slovakia. The local checkpoint allows no more than 4 trucks per hour.

Let us remember that it all started with a strike of Polish truckers, which was announced in early November. Protesters demanded the abolition of benefits introduced by the EU for Ukrainian truck drivers. The Polish strike is still ongoing. At the same time, the situation is developing into critical: more than 2.5 thousand trucks have accumulated at the border. After the hunger strike declared by Ukrainian truckers, the Polish side agreed to allow 7 trucks per hour.

Now Polish carriers are demanding the abolition of the visa-free transport regime for Ukrainian trucks and a ban on the registration in Poland of transport companies with Ukrainian capital. They also ask Ukraine to cancel the registration of trucks returning from the European Union without cargo. In addition, as the protesters reported, a document has already been prepared, according to which importers and exporters of products from Ukraine will have to give at least half of the volume of transportation to Polish carriers.

Meanwhile, in Ukraine they are already calculating the damage. According to the head of the Rada’s financial committee, Daniil Getmantsev, due to the blockade, revenues from customs fell by 9.2 million hryvnia or 250 thousand dollars. He noted that because of this, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are primarily suffering, as their funding is being reduced. And the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine accused truckers that due to their strike, the Ukrainian Armed Forces may experience interruptions in the supply of fuel. Earlier, the Ukrainian government reported that exports that passed through the Polish border fell by 40%.

It is quite possible that the resolution of the conflict is already close. First, the leaders of freight carrier associations in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania and the Czech Republic signed a letter with their demands for the abolition of benefits, which was sent to the European Commission and the transport ministers of the EU countries. And on December 4, a meeting of EU transport ministers will be held, at which the protests of truckers will be discussed.

However, given that the European Commission previously threatened Poland with legal action over the strike, it is not a fact that all parties will ultimately come to an agreement. “Ukrainian carriers cannot be held hostage due to lack of political will,” said European Commissioner for Transport Adina Valyan.

Political scientist Alexander Dudchak told MK about why the Hungarians supported the strike and what agreement the parties would come to:

“Hungarians are always happy to participate in “trolling” Ukraine or in some actions that can remind it that it is behaving inappropriately. For example, in relation to the Hungarian national minorities in Ukraine. So the Hungarians simply could not miss this opportunity when they saw that Ukrainian truckers were trying to escape through their territory. If in Poland and Slovakia such actions are associated with the past elections, then the Hungarians act traditionally in their repertoire. Well done. Our big thanks to the Hungarians for participating in the anti-Ukrainian action.

The situation will begin to be resolved more or less constructively after a government is finally formed in Poland. Then it will be clear. I think they will soften their positions, especially since negotiations with Ukraine have already begun. True, the Europeans say that for some reason they cannot win back all the benefits granted to Ukraine, so they offer various compensations. Most likely, in the end they will try to find a compromise.”