Polish farmers threaten to disrupt Zelenskyy's visit over Ukrainian grain

Farmers in Poland, who oppose the import of Ukrainian grain into the country, have said that they may disrupt the planned visit of Volodymyr Zelenskyy if the Polish authorities do not meet their demands.

Source: Interia news outlet, reported by European Pravda 

Details: Last week, the Polish farmers' association Oszukana Wieś (Deceived Village) signed an agreement with the government to fulfil 11 demands, including tighter border controls, compensation and soft loans.

But on Monday, the farmers said that none of the points had been fulfilled.

"A large part of the goods go on [past the border – ed.] without inspection. At best, every second car is checked. The term ‘technical wheat’ was rejected because it sounded bad. It was left without a name. We see that nothing has changed. Why would the Minister [of Agriculture – ed.] give hope and lie to people?" Wiesław Gryn, the co-organiser of farmers' protests, says. 

"[Ukrainian grain – ed.] passes the border the same as it did before. It is even accelerating. To see this, just drive up to Hrubieszów or Dorohusk," Marcin Sobczuk, the representative of the Oszukana Wieś, adds. 

Because of this, farmers will resume protests in the village of Czerniczyn near the border town of Hrubieszów on Tuesday, and do not rule out staging protests during Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to Poland on Wednesday.

"Warsaw should rethink this issue. If the Minister [of Agriculture – ed.] wants his visit to the capital on Wednesday to be spoiled, we can do that. Same with the visit of the Ukrainian president. But I don't think that's their goal. There are many ideas, but it is too early to talk about it," Sobczuk states. 

Background: Last week, the prime ministers of Romania and Poland said that Bucharest and Warsaw would ask the European Commission to develop mechanisms to help track grain exports from Ukraine and avoid price dumping to the detriment of local farmers.

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