Ukraine Loses $435Mln Due to Border Blockade by Polish Truckers - Carriers Association

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ukraine's economy has suffered more than 400 million euros ($435 million) in losses after Polish truckers blocked roads to border crossings between the countries, the vice president of the Association of International Road Carriers of Ukraine, Volodymyr Balin, said.

"The situation is really critical. I am not ready to say how other industries are suffering, although, according to the estimates of the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, our economy has already lost more than 400 million euros. We record the losses of our carriers according to the calculation of lost revenue — 350 euros per downtime, per day," Balin told a briefing at Media Center Ukraine.

In early November, Polish carriers blocked roads to three border crossings with Ukraine and demanded, among other things, the restoration of the previously canceled permit system for Ukrainian commercial carriers required to enter Poland.

Relations between Ukraine and some Eastern European EU member states have deteriorated in recent months over an influx of Ukrainian grain into the European Union, among other things. Poland, alongside Slovakia and Hungary, unilaterally extended a ban on duty-free Ukrainian grain imports after EU-imposed curbs lapsed on September 15.