Slovak truck drivers were expected to start today the blockade of their country’s borders with Ukraine, proclaiming almost the complete closure of the crossing for trucks until the European Union meets their demands for stricter rules for their Ukrainian competitors.

Stanislav Skala, head of UNAS, the Slovak truck drivers’ union, said his group is ready to block the Viske Nemetské/Užhorod crossing, the only border point for trucks, from 3pm (local time, 16.00 Greek time).

Slovak drivers are following the example of their Polish colleagues who have blocked several passes to Ukraine since November 6. This blockade results in some traffic being diverted through Slovakia and hundreds of trucks queuing for kilometers near the border.

Polish and Slovak truck drivers complain that Ukrainian drivers offer lower prices for their services and also transport goods within the EU, instead of simply between the European bloc and Ukraine.

Truck drivers in both countries are calling on the EU to restore a system of granting a limited number of licenses to Ukrainian companies to operate in the European bloc and for European drivers to enter Ukraine. The licenses were revoked after the Russian invasion.

“We will block the border and let four trucks pass every hour,” Skala told Reuters by phone while driving to Visne Nemetzke today. According to him, they will also be able to pass military and humanitarian supplies and perishable products.

He stated that the blockade will take place in both directions and in coordination with the police. Truck drivers will have a team of several members who will enforce the ban in shifts, he said.

The next decision will be taken after the meeting of EU transport ministers on Monday in Brussels, where the delegations of Poland, Slovakia and Hungary are expected to raise the issue.

“The only request is to reinstate the permits,” Skala said. “We don’t care about politics, we just want to protect our market.”

The drivers also want rules to be imposed that would allow Ukrainian companies to transport goods to and from the EU but not to carry out local transport within the EU.

Slovakia’s transport ministry said after a meeting with the drivers on Wednesday that it would communicate their demands to Brussels.