Baltic states scold Poland over Ukraine border blockade
The ambassadors of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have made a demarche to Warsaw over the month-long blockade at the Polish-Ukrainian border, stating that it undermines Kyiv's ability to defend itself against Russian aggression, Estonian public broadcaster ERR reported on Dec. 5, citing the country’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Brita Kikas.
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"A meeting/demarche of three ambassadors of the Baltic states took place in Warsaw at the Polish Infrastructure Ministry," the report says.
The situation at the border has been discussed several times with the Polish authorities. A meeting of the Polish and Estonian foreign ministers is expected to take place soon, at which the border issue is likely to be discussed.
Tallinn respects the Polish truckers’ right to strike, but the border blockade has created "a difficult situation that creates problems for other carriers and additional difficulties for the Ukrainian economy". Estonia hopes for a quick resolution of the problem in the near future.
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The European Commission didn't mince words on Dec. 4 as it openly criticized the border blockade orchestrated by Polish carriers, adding that reverting to the permit system is utterly unacceptable.
Read also: Cargo trucks start to undergo processing on Polish border amid EU discussions
“The ping-pong between Ukraine and the European Commission is unfair,” said European Transport Commissioner Adina Vălean. The Commission has put forward 13 measures with swift applicability to address the "legitimate concerns expressed by the protesters," she added.
There's a “firm commitment” in Brussels to staunchly defend the agreement on transport liberalization between Ukraine and the EU, Vălean said.
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