Slovak government promises to prevent blocking of the border with Ukraine

The Ministry of Transport of Slovakia does not support the blocking of the border with Ukraine. This was announced by Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Serhiy Derkach on Facebook following a conversation with State Secretary of the Ministry of Transport of Slovakia Denisa Žiláková.

He noted that the new team of the ministry is committed to dialogue and cooperation in the transport sector. Two main issues were discussed: the risks of blocking the border; and the implementation of the Agreement on Liberalization of Transport between Ukraine and the EU.

“As for the first one. Our Slovak colleagues confirmed that they do not support the blocking of the border. Especially when it comes to the only cargo crossing point with Slovakia – Uzhhorod-Vysne Nemecke. That is, it is a direct risk of losing the truck traffic between our countries. They promise to hold consultations with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Slovakia to prevent such a protest,” explained Derkach.

Regarding the second issue, the Ministry reported that one of the carrier associations had addressed them. The latter demanded a return to the permit system. The deputy minister added that he had assured his colleagues that liberalization of transportation is a necessary step in the face of war and the sea blockade.

“The thesis that our drivers violate the terms of the agreement is not confirmed. The last inspection of our trucks on the roads of Slovakia proved the same. In short: no serious violations were found. Most of the trucks checked were in transit to other countries. None of the Ukrainian drivers violated the current legislation, and only one case of violation of working and rest time was found. If facts of violations are presented, we are ready to consider them and discuss them in detail,” Derkach summarized.

Tags: protests, Slovakia, Ukraine