22 Jan 2024 | 06:37 PM UTC
Romania: Farmers and truckers suspend protest blockade at border crossings with Ukraine and Moldova as of late January /update 3
Romanian farmers, truckers suspend blockades at border crossings with Ukraine and Moldova as of late January.
Romanian farmers and truckers have lifted their protest blockades at the Diakovo-Halmeu, Porubne-Siret, and Krasna-Vicovu de Sus border crossing points at the nation's border with Ukraine as of late January. Although protest groups have made no specific announcement about the status of the Costesti-Stanca crossing point on the border with Moldova, crossing times at Costesti-Stanca are reportedly in line with usual traffic patterns. The move comes after the farmers' associations and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development reached an agreement under which the government would subsidize all agricultural excise taxes until 2026.
Freight traffic has resumed at all border crossing points. Residual localized disruptions are possible in the upcoming days and weeks. Minor protests and spontaneous blockades remain possible. Temporary shortages of goods cannot be ruled out.
Monitor freight shipments scheduled to travel across Romania's borders with Ukraine and Moldova over the upcoming days. Confirm the status of border crossings before routing shipments through them. Allow additional travel time in border areas that were subject to protest activity, and avoid all demonstrations as a precaution. Heed instructions from security services.
Since late November 2023, Polish, Hungarian, Romanian, and Slovak truckers and farmers have been intermittently protesting at points along their countries' respective borders with Ukraine, demanding that EU authorities revoke measures that allow Ukrainian truck drivers to access the EU without permits. In general, protesting truckers and farmers assert that Ukrainian truckers' activities and Ukrainian agricultural products undercut them and amount to unfair competition. The demonstrations have also denounced increased costs of business, including from elevated diesel prices, insurance rates, and EU environmental protection regulations.
