Polish border tensions simmer over subsidies, permit
Polish farmers resumed their protest at the Medyka border crossing with Ukraine on Thursday, demanding a written agreement with the government to secure corn subsidies and prevent tax hikes, as reported by Polsat News.
This move reignites tensions simmering since their initial demonstration on December 6th.
"We had good discussions with the Agriculture Minister and the local governor," explained protest leader Roman Kondrow, "but we need a formal agreement in place." While Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Siekierski issued a note outlining intentions to fulfil the farmers' demands, the absence of a signed statement from Prime Minister Donald Tusk left them unsatisfied.
"We want a bilateral agreement," Kondrow emphasised, "and if we get it, the protest will be suspended until the promises are implemented." This echoes the farmers' previous stance, where a lack of formal commitment spurred them to suspend, but not abandon, their protest over Christmas.
Meanwhile, the standoff between Polish truck drivers and the European Union regarding border permits for Ukrainian companies remains unresolved. Truck drivers, who began their own blockade on November 6th, are calling for the reinstatement of a reciprocity system. Prime Minister Tusk, however, expressed confidence in December that a solution to the truck drivers' protest was within reach.
As both protests show no immediate signs of resolution, the economic and logistical implications are mounting. With the Medyka crossing being a crucial trade route, disruptions are impacting businesses and supply chains on both sides of the border.
It remains to be seen whether a formal agreement with the government will placate the farmers or if alternative solutions can be found for the truck drivers' demands. The coming days will be crucial in determining the fate of these ongoing border blockades and their impact on regional trade.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
