Ban on Ukrainian agricultural exports to continue indefinitely – Polish agriculture minister

The Polish-Ukrainian border will not be open to Ukrainian goods and the embargo on exporting them to Poland is to continue indefinitely.

Source: Polish Agriculture Minister Czesław Siekierski at a press conference following a meeting with representatives of the All-Polish Association of Farmers’ Unions and agricultural organisations on 4 January; Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Poland

"The borders will not open, the embargo on Ukrainian products is indefinite - until it is lifted," Siekierski said.

The Polish minister stressed the importance of negotiations with the protesting farmers to develop the best solutions.

Czesław Siekierski said he supports the protesters’ demands, although they must be adapted to the current legislation in Poland, including EU legislation.

He also reiterated that the Polish government is prepared to meet all the farmers’ requirements. However, the legal authorisation of all their demands will take time, Siekierski said.

"There is no reason to believe that what I promised will not be carried out," Siekierski pledged.

Background:

• On 4 January, farmers from the organisation Oszukana Wieś (Deceived Village) resumed their protests and blockade of the Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint, which had ceased on 24 December 2023.
• Roman Kondrów, the organisation's leader, told Polish media that the organisation had not received written confirmation that its demands would be met, so the protest action would continue.
• The farmers started their protest on 23 November 2023 and stopped it a month later. Polish agriculture minister Czesław Siekierski visited Medyka on Christmas Eve and assured the farmers that their demands would be met.
• The Polish farmers are insisting on receiving written assurances from the Polish government that their demands will be met. They are demanding the cancellation of an agriculture tax rise, easier access to soft loans to maintain the liquidity of their farms, maize subsidies in the amount of 1,000 zlotys (approx. US$240) per hectare, and the regulation of conditions for importing food from Ukraine.
• On Wednesday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stressed the importance of ending the blockade, especially in the face of escalating bombing and increasingly intense Russian military action. He believes that these arguments will have a better chance of being heard when Poland is no longer a country that blocks borders.

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