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Polish miners block Russian coal imports

PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle 24.09.2014 09:19
Over 200 coal miners are blocking Russian coal deliveries at the Braniewo - Mamonowo border crossing, in protest at “cheap, low-quality coal” flooding the Polish market and threatening jobs.

Protest
Protest at the Polish-Russian border: photo: solidarnosckatowice.pl/

Stanislaw Kłysz, from the "Solidarity" trade union's national coal mining chapter has told Polish Radio that last the transportation of Russian coal entered Poland at 5 am this morning and that the “spontaneous” protest by Polish coal miners might continue till the end of the week.

Solidarity has already said that it will demonstrate on the streets of Warsaw on 1 October, as new Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz delivers her major policy statement, or 'expose' to parliament, in protest against what they claim are deteriorating pay and conditions in Poland's collieries.

photo
photo - PAP/Tomasz Waszczuk

Though a major producer of coal, Poland still imports around 10 million tonnes annually from Russia and the Czech Republic.

The protesting coal miners are demanding a government representative comes to the border crossing in north-east Poland to listen to their demands.

Spokeswoman for the Polish border guards in the region, Justyna Szubstarska, has told Polish Radio that they are monitoring the situation.

“Our role is to maintain order at the [Kaliningrad railway] border crossing, depending on the situation and act appropriately,” she said. (pg)

tags: coal, Russia
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