WARSAW, April 13. /Dunyo IA/. On the portal of the Polish newspaper “Rzeczpospolita”, an article by the former Minister of Transport and Maritime Economy of Poland, Bogusław Liberadzki, titled “How to improve road transit from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to Europe” has been published, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The author notes that after the Polish authorities closed road border crossings with Belarus in February 2023, carriers from Central Asian countries, particularly Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, were forced to shift to alternative routes.

According to him, this has led to a redistribution of logistics flows in favor of Latvia and Lithuania, which now host the main supply routes to the EU. Meanwhile, the share of Polish companies in this segment has dropped from approximately 30% to 3%.

The publication notes that alternative routes have become longer and more complex due to the requirement for transit permits in each country. As a result, a scheme has emerged where goods are reloaded in the Baltic states and subsequently delivered to Europe by local carriers.

The author also provides data on EU trade with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, noting an increase in trade turnover and significant volumes of road transport - including over 400,000 tons of cargo per year with Uzbekistan alone, which is equivalent to more than 20,000 trips.

The former minister believes that restoring and simplifying the operation of border crossings would allow Poland to strengthen its role as a logistics hub between Europe and Asia, as well as expand the participation of Polish transport companies in these shipments.

Among the arguments in favour of opening the crossings, he cites strengthened border controls, the economic complementarity between EU nations and Central Asian states, and potential economic benefits for Poland, including the development of logistics and customs services.

The author also notes that Poland could become a key Eurasian transport and logistics hub if it capitalizes on current opportunities amid shifts in international logistics.