Polish authorities agree with farmers on ending border blockade with Ukraine

Czesław Siekierski, Poland’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, will sign an agreement in Rzeszów on Saturday, 6 January with representatives of the Oszukana Wieś (Deceived Village) movement in order to bring their border blockade in the town of Medyka to an end.

Source: Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita; European Pravda

Details: Rzeczpospolita states that Siekierski made a decision to provide written assurances for the fulfilment of three demands made by farmers who were protesting: cheap loans, guarantees of no tax increases, and maize subsidies.

The article states that Poland applied to the European Commission for approval regarding subsidies, that the Polish Sejm [lower house of the Polish parliament - ed.] should approve the repeal of a 21% tax increase, and that local authorities will provide loan guarantees in exchange for compensation from the state budget.

Publicly, Oszukana Wieś also demanded that the ban on the import of agricultural products from Ukraine be extended to additional products such as soft fruits, sugar, alcohol, honey, apple concentrate, eggs and poultry.

Although the Polish government informed the farmers that it has approved some of their demands, they demanded written guarantees, which is why Siekierski will reportedly be going to Rzeszow on Saturday to conclude a deal. After that, the farmers should end the blockade.

At the same time, Rzeczpospolita’s sources claim that the minister had not yet made a final decision as of the evening of 5 January. 

Background: Farmers from Oszukana Wieś began blocking the Medyka border checkpoint on 23 November this year. They announced that they would suspend their protest from 24 December until early January and might not resume it if their demands were met. But on 4 January, the blockade resumed.

At the end of December, the Ministry for Restoration of Ukraine and the Ministry of Infrastructure of Poland agreed on a list of conditions necessary for unblocking the border.

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