After the start of local protests by farmers in Poland, which started on February 20, the most massive one began in the countryʼs capital, Warsaw. Today, February 27, approximately 30 000 protesters came to the city center to protest.
This is reported by RMF24 and Rolsat.
Farmers from all over the country gathered in the city center. They were supported by miners and the Association of Hunters. They are protesting against the import of food from Ukraine, claiming that it undermines their competitiveness, as well as against the European Green Deal policy, which imposes a number of restrictions on farmers.
Agrarians staged a march from the Palace of Culture and Science to the Sejm. From there they go to the government house to reiterate their demands. Farmers march with Polish flags, posters and loud noises. Despite calls from the police not to use pyrotechnics, farmers throw firecrackers. Some lit fireworks, and a bonfire was lit on the Defilade Square.
Meanwhile, Polish farmers continue to block the movement of trucks at six checkpoints: "Yagodin", "Ustyluh", "Uhryniv", "Rava-Ruska", "Krakovets" and "Shehyni". There are almost 2,100 trucks in the queue. The spokesman of the State Border Service of Ukraine said on the air of the telethon that only 2-3 trucks pass through per hour. Buses and cars travel freely.
- From November 2023, Poles periodically block checkpoints on the border with Ukraine. Polish carriers, and then farmers, have been obstructing the movement of trucks for varying lengths of time, demanding from their authorities and the European Union to improve working conditions and preferences. They are asking for a ban on the import of agricultural products from Ukraine that do not meet EU standards, the return of the permit system for Ukrainian transporters, subsidies for fertilizers, compensation for excise duty on fuel, payment of subsidies, and have other demands that have nothing to do with Ukraine.
- On February 20, Polish farmers began a general strike across the country. The Association of Hunters joined them. Protesters blocked six checkpoints on the border with Ukraine. But in the evening of the same day, traffic restrictions near three checkpoints were eased.
- Against the backdrop of the Polesʼ blockade of Ukraineʼs western border, Volodymyr Zelensky instructed the government to be at the border with Poland by February 24 and asked Prime Minister Donald Tusk to come there as well, urging Duda to support the governmentʼs dialogue.
- The Polish authorities agreed to a meeting, but in a different format — on March 28 in Warsaw at the level of representatives of the governments of Poland and Ukraine.
- On February 22, the Prime Minister of Poland announced that checkpoints on the border with Ukraine will be added to the list of critical infrastructure. This will guarantee the entry of military and humanitarian aid into Ukraine without obstacles.
- Ukraine considers criticism of its products to be baseless and calls it a political issue.