European Border-Controls Cause Traffic Jams

KIEV, Ukraine -- Nine, mainly Eastern European EU member states, have loosened some border controls, but the measures have caused remaining border posts to be inundated with cars.

Ukraine border with Poland.
Most of the bottleneck has occured at the Ukrainian border.

Cars travelling through the passport-free Schengen zone are able to reach Ukraine far more quickly now, as they do not have to stop at other border control posts.

The passport-free zone means that vehicles arrive at the Ukrainian border en masse.

Passport controls and inspections at all the new Schengen borders have been significantly tightened and rigorous searches for people smugglers have been taking place.

This process has led to traffic jams of several kilometres at the border crossing between Ukraine and new Schengen countries of Poland and Hungary.

At one stage, the waiting time at the Polish-Ukrainian border lengthened to 30 hours.

Most of the vehicles waiting to cross the border have been cargo laden trucks.

Source: Calcutta News