In May 2022, a few weeks after the Russian invasion, the European Union took steps to help Kyiv. Ukrainian agricultural products are thus exempt from customs duties within the EU. A situation that annoys many farmers in Europe. Particularly in Poland.
As determined as ever, Polish farmers continue their movement. Some went to the east of the country, to Dorohusk, near the border with Ukraine, to protest against the influx of agricultural products from their neighbors into the local market.
“We only let one car pass per hour. One in one direction and one in the other, plus humanitarian aid, buses, coaches, in which there may be perishable foodstuffs. So we are not blocking the entire passage. We have to let some people through, we understand that, but we also want to be understood. Fertilizers are expensive in our country, wheat is getting cheaper and cheaper. Everyone has a family, everyone has children“, explains Pawel Ilasz, a protester.
Faced with a mobilization that does not weaken, Warsaw and Kyiv are attempting appeasement. The deputy ministers of Infrastructure from the two countries went to the site to dialogue with the protesters.
“Today we focused on verifying the controls carried out at the border. We agreed on a number of small arrangements to regulate traffic before the event was suspended. And today we check what this looks like in practice“, said Paweł Gancarz, Polish Deputy Minister of Infrastructure.
“The blocked border is indeed a problem, which leads to other economic and social problems in Ukraine. It is therefore very important to keep the border open, especially as Russia continues its war in Ukraine“, explained Serhiy Derkacz, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine.
On Monday, some angry farmers dumped cargo from a truck carrying Ukrainian grain destined for the European Union. A symbolic action which shocked the authorities in Kyiv.
Faced with this tense situation, the Polish Minister of Agriculture declared that he was in discussions with his Ukrainian counterpart to limit the quantity of these agricultural products. He also specified that the solution must also come from the European Union.