Polish protesters at 11 o’clock began blocking the movement of buses at the approach to the checkpoint (BCP) “Medika – Shegini”, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reports.
“At the checkpoint “Medika – Shegini” began blocking the movement of buses,” the State Border Service said in a message in its Telegram channel on Wednesday.
“According to information from Polish colleagues the restriction of bus traffic began today at about 11:10. Its organizers block traffic on the road in front of the checkpoint “Medika”, adjacent to the Ukrainian checkpoint “Shegini”,” – specifies the State Border Service.
Medyka-Shehyni, POLAND, PROTESTS, Ukrainian Border Guard Service
In January-February 2024, Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises increased their exports of steel products by 3.7% to $152.383 million. In February, they were exported for $88.056 million.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service, imports of metal products increased by 33.4% to $144.769 million. In February, these products were imported for $72.123 million.
As reported earlier, in 2023, Ukraine’s steelmaking companies reduced revenues from exports of ferrous metals by 41.59% compared to 2022, to $2 billion 647.722 million, with ferrous metals accounting for 7.32% of total revenues from exports of goods in this period, while in 2022 the share was 10.26%. At the same time, in 2023, Ukraine increased imports of similar products by 37% to $1 billion 307.046 million.
In addition, last year, Ukraine reduced exports of metal products by 16.6% year-on-year to $877.916 million. At the same time, imports of metal products increased by 40.3% to $902.565 million during this period.
In 2022, Ukraine decreased revenues from ferrous metal exports by 67.5% compared to 2021, to $4 billion 533.088 million. During this period, ferrous metals accounted for 10.26% of total revenues from exports of goods, compared to 20.49% in 2021. At the same time, in 2022, Ukraine reduced imports of similar products by 38.3% to $954.387 million.
In addition, in 2022, Ukraine reduced exports of metal products by 18.6% to $1 billion 52.512 million. Imports of metal products fell by 42.9% to $643.162 million over the year.
In January-February of this year, Ukrainian steelmakers increased revenues from exports of ferrous metals by 46.3% year-on-year to $522.519 million.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS) on Wednesday, ferrous metals accounted for 7.67% of total export revenues during this period, compared to 5.53% in January-February 2023.
In February, revenues from exports of ferrous metals amounted to $248.443 million.
At the same time, Ukraine increased imports of similar products by 35.6% to $221.529 million in January-February this year. In February, the country imported products worth $112.114 million.
The Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the USAID Healthcare Reform Support Project have launched an all-Ukrainian online sociological survey of patients called “Patient Voice”.
According to the Ministry on its website, the survey will allow to explore the experience of Ukrainian patients with the medical system to assess the perception of changes in the healthcare system.
The Ministry of Health reminds that in March-September 2024, the Voice of Healthcare Workers survey will also be conducted.
European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell says that the European Commission has paid the first EUR4.5bn from the Ukrainian fund totaling EUR50bn.
He made the announcement on Wednesday in Brussels at a press conference at the end of the EU-Ukraine Association Council.
“Today we made the first disbursement of EUR4.5bn from the EUR50bn Ukrainian Aid Fund to support Ukraine’s recovery, reconstruction and modernization. Tomorrow the European Council will discuss how to further accelerate Ukraine’s accession (to the EU),” Borrell said.
Polish authorities have agreed with farmers on subsidies per ton of grain and temporary closure of the border with Ukraine from April 1 for the transit of some agricultural products, polskieradio24.pl reported.
According to the newspaper, the document was signed by representatives of the protesting farmers, Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Seckerski and the ministry’s state secretary Michal Kolodziejczak.
The agreement envisages maintaining the current embargo on agricultural products from Ukraine, which has been in place since mid-September last year. It concerns in particular wheat, corn, wheat flour, rapeseed and sunflower.
In addition, the Minister of Agriculture must ask the Council of Ministers of the European Union to suspend the transit of these products through Polish territory as of April 1 this year.
Both sides in the signed document also consider it necessary to develop detailed rules for agri-food trade between Poland and Ukraine, but also note that the difficult situation in agriculture is the result of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Farmers’ representatives in the agreement declare their government’s support for the changes to the Green Agreement. It is primarily about replacing the mandatory transfer to a voluntary ecosystem and simplifying other rules for farmers.
AUTHORITIES, BORDER, FARMERS, GRAIN, POLAND, transit products, UKRAINE
