© Kacper Pempel/ReutersA Polish farmer promotes protest over price pressures, taxes and green regulations
Poznan, Poland โข February 9, 2024
a trade union said on Tuesday, escalating their month-long strike that began last week in protest against EU policies.
Farmers across Europe have been protesting against constraints placed on them by EU measures to tackle climate change, as well as rising costs and what they say is unfair competition from abroad, particularly Ukraine.In Poland, farmers have been particularly vocal about the impact of cheap food imports from Ukraine. They began a 30-day strike last Friday that has seen them block roads across the country as well as border crossings with Ukraine.
The Solidarity farmers' union, in a statement, said:
"On Feb. 20, as part of the 30-day general strike of farmers, we announce that all protest activities will be focused on a complete blockade of all border crossings between Poland and Ukraine and protests in the field. Not only border crossings will be blocked, but also communication hubs and access roads to transshipment railway stations and sea ports."
© bne IntelliNewsTruckers at the Polish-Ukrainian border
Meanwhile, in the Czech Republic, the country's Agrarian Chamber, said that on Feb. 22 groups of farmers from across central and eastern Europe would congregate at their countries' borders for a joint day of protest.
Czech farmers will start their protests on Monday with a blockade of traffic in Prague.
Comment: Pressure is rising on the border in several ways:
The protest will be against the "uncontrolled inflow of goods from Ukraine" that is causing "problems with the profitability of agricultural production, processing and other industries in our country," Solidarity RI, a farming trade union said in a statement.
Polish farmers are also unhappy with the EU's Green Deal policy, which, they say, imposes too strict measures to protect the environment and climate.
Farmer protests have been underway intermittently along the Polish-Ukrainian border since November.
In the latest round last weekend, protesters at the Dorohusk-Jahodyn border crossing spilled grain from three Ukraine trucks on the ground, causing friction with the Ukrainian side.
Polish agriculture ministry apologised to Ukraine, saying that spilling grain was not the "right form of protest," but it was understandable.
Poland's Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Siekierski said in a comment:
"[Polish farmers] are in a very difficult economic situation. At the beginning of spring, they have no money to buy fertilisers and plant protection products. It is hard not to understand their desperation. The government is considering further restrictions and tax measures to curtail Ukrainian imports."
Farmer protests are expected to last until March 8.
They are putting Poland's government in a precarious position ahead of local elections in April in which the ruling coalition will seek to expand power in many rural communities that have so far been under the control of the opposition's Law and Justice (PiS) party.
The blockades on Ukrainian imports have already caused severe damage to Ukrainian farmers and businesses, the country's central bank said earlier this month.
Comment: Pressure is rising on the border in several ways: