Farmers from all over Poland announced for Friday protest that is expected to last for 30 days. It will include, among others: on blocking border crossings with Ukraine. The decision on the protest action was made by, among others, management board of NSZZ Solidarność Rolników Indywidualnych. The reason for the protest is, among others, recent decision of the European Commission about the extension duty-free trade with Ukraine until 2025.
The minister understands the protesters’ demands
Siekierski was asked about the situation of farmers on Program I of Polish Radio. As he emphasized, they have “rightful expectations and demands limit excessive inflow of goods from Ukraine, but also from other non-European markets to the EU, especially to Poland.
“Poland and other border countries were most affected by the EU’s decision to liberalize trade and open the EU to the inflow of goods from Ukraine without customs duties and quotas. It was supposed to be a form of European aid for Ukraine. We understand help, Poles provided this help very decisively, from the heart, and I think we all know it and are proud of it, he said.
Bilateral talks are a solution to farmers’ problems
Minister of Agriculture admitted that tends to limit the import of goodswhich “will be monitored so as not to disturb the Polish market.”
“We are leading on this bilateral talks with Ukraine. We want to establish certain values and amounts that we will control. If there is too much of a product and it violates the market, then there is a blockade, because remember that trade goes both ways. We also export to the EU and other countries. Of course, we are uncompetitive with Ukrainian agriculture, which produces on a large scale. I also accept the farmers’ arguments here,” he assured.
He added that “it will be needed in some areas total blockageAs it is in grain“. “You may need it in sugar, if there is too much inflow. May be needed for poultry. We analyze it and those We will submit applications to the Commissionbut we also want it establish in relations with Ukraine” – Siekierski noted.
The minister assesses the form of the protest
According to the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Road blocking is an acceptable form of protest. “We had a meeting with representatives of all trade unions of agricultural organizations three days ago and a meeting with representatives of agricultural chambers and the agricultural self-government. We asked that these protests be as little burdensome as possible for citizens, but that they should have some information message why farmers are protesting, what it comes from. This is due to their difficult economic situation. Farmers have no money to buy fertilizers” – paid attention.
Wojciechowski’s letter supporting the protest
On Thursday, he addressed protesting Polish farmers EU Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski. In an open letter, he stressed that he “is with them, respects the protests and supports their demands.”
At the same time, commissioner he listed the demands that have already been met. Among them he mentioned suspension or restriction of imports of grain, sugar, poultry and eggs from Ukraineincreasing the level of agricultural funds for Poland and direct subsidies and withdrawal of restrictions on the use of pesticides.
In the second part of the letter, Wojciechowski indicated these demands that are yet to be implemented. Here he mentioned, among others: temporary exemption of farmers from sanctions for non-compliance conditions of the Common Agricultural Policya significant increase in the agricultural budget after 2027 or easing bureaucratic restrictions on eco-schemeswhich Polish farmers have been complaining about for a long time.
author: Daria Porycka (PAP), Nikodem Choinowski (DGP)
