dengi-info.com
The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to impose a temporary ban on the transit of Russian-registered cargo transport vehicles through Ukraine's territory, the government press service reported referring to a decision made during today's meeting.
It is noted that the Ukrainian government has made such decision in response to actions of the Russian authorities, which, in breach of rules and procedures of the World Trade Organization and the bilateral intergovernmental agreement on international road transport, unilaterally blocked the movement of Ukrainian cargo vehicles through the territory of the Russian Federation.
"Ukraine temporarily suspends the validity of transit permits issued for cargo vehicles registered in the Russian Federation, which entails the suspension of transit by Russian cargo vehicles through the territory of Ukraine, until relevant explanations are received and the matter is resolved," the press service quoted the Ukrainian prime minister as saying.
In view of the current situation, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has immediately sent a note to the Russian authorities with a request to explain such unlawful actions.
The prime minister also stressed that Ukraine has initiated consultations with the European Union member states regarding the matter.
Ukraine's Infrastructure Ministry and Foreign Affairs Ministry will decide on appropriate measures based on results of the government meeting.
Read alsoRally against transit of Russian cargo trucks stretches to Zhytomir region (photos)As UNIAN reported earlier, on February 11 civil society activists launched an indefinite campaign aimed at preventing Russian trucks from crossing international borders from the territory of Ukraine. Russian transport authorities in their turn announced that Russia had blocked the traffic of Ukrainian transit trucks in its territory in response to the situation with the blockage of the Russian trucks by activists across Ukraine. Later, Ukraine's trade envoy Nataliya Mykolska wrote on Facebook that reports that the Ukrainian trucks transit had been completely stopped were not in keeping with reality.
Read alsoRussia suspends transit movement of Ukrainian trucks"The only limitations that took place were related to the transit of embargoed goods to Kazakhstan through the Russian territory. There were also reports on some unrelated cases when Ukrainian drivers faced difficulties with crossing the Russian borders," Mykolska wrote.
It is also reported that the Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry has initiated holding of daily meetings of the Operational Response Headquarters with representatives of the Economic Development Ministry, the State Fiscal Service, the State Border Service, the National Police and other agencies related. The Headquarters will be tasked with a continuous monitoring of the situation and developing an agreed proposal that will be submitted for consideration by the Cabinet of Minister