Polish government denies that hauliers are blocking military aid to Ukraine

The Polish government has claimed that hauliers blocking checkpoints on the border with Ukraine are not preventing the flow of military aid to Ukraine.

Source: Polish news agency Polsat News, as reported by European Pravda

Quote from Polish Deputy Defence Minister Marcin Ociepa: "I firmly deny that such a situation has taken place. Military convoys crossing the border are convoys accompanied by military police. They travel in a completely different mode, as priority vehicles, and are not hostage to any protests."

Details: Ociepa was responding to a New York Times' article that Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline have experienced the consequences of the blockade of the border with Poland. The newspaper claimed that protests by Polish hauliers have led to serious delays in the supply of military equipment to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The accusations were also commented on by Stanisław Żaryn, Government Plenipotentiary for the Security of Information Space of the Republic of Poland.

Quote from Żaryn: "We have no information about any blocking of vehicles carrying military aid to Ukraine. Polish services are working on the spot and checking trucks at the border. We are also not receiving any signals from Ukraine that the protests are affecting military operations. It should be reiterated that in such situations, the best solution is to hold bilateral talks, not through the media."

Background:

• The blockade of the border with Ukraine by a group of Polish hauliers has been going on for over a month. Recently, Slovak hauliers have joined the blockade.
• Charities and NGOs that supply military aid to the Ukrainian Armed Forces have faced several weeks of delays in critical supplies of drones, electronics and pickup trucks due to the blockade.
• The European Commission has stated that it is opposed to the resumption of the permit system for Ukrainian hauliers, as demanded by Polish and Slovak protesters. 

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