Romanian farmers & truckers continue to block Ukraine border despite Romania agreeing to aid package
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Romania’s government announced the first aid package for farmers and truckers who continue to stage mass protests at Ukrainian border crossings, Romanian PM Marcel Čolaku said in a video message on Jan. 18.
The protesters oppose the high cost of diesel fuel, insurance payments, and pressure on the domestic market caused by Ukrainian imported agricultural goods, the Romanian publication Biziday.ro said.
Čolaku agreed to some of the protestors’ demands, said Biziday.ro.
"It is clear that the protests were justified," he said.
The main agreements include 100 euros ($110 USD) in compensation per hectare of land and up to 280 thousand euros ($300,000 USD) in compensation for losses to farmers, reported Biziday.ro. The compensation for one agricultural enterprise cannot exceed this amount.
The government has also agreed to some rules required by transporters, Čolaku added.
Romanian farmers and truckers again began blocking truck traffic through the Siret border crossing on Jan. 14 after a six-hour protest on Jan. 13.
The Romanian Agriculture Ministry and representatives of large agricultural organizations reached an agreement on 13 farmers' demands on Jan. 15. The government pledged to fully subsidize all agricultural excise taxes until 2026, as well as to introduce provisions for subsidized interest-bearing loans.
The Siret-Porubne and Vicovu de Sus-Krasnoilsk border crossings with Romania continue to be blocked on Jan. 17, despite the agreement with the country's government.
Romanian protesters blocked the Halmeu-Diakove checkpoint on Jan. 18.
Despite the demands being met, the farmers and truckers vowed to continue to block the border until at least Jan. 18, said farmers' negotiator, Marius Micu.
Ukraine’s State Border Guard announced the unblocking of the Polish border on Jan. 16. Carriers in the neighboring country suspended protests at three checkpoints until March 1 after reaching an agreement with the government.
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