Farmers unblocked border crossings with Ukraine

Polish farmers, who have been campaigning against uncontrolled imports of Ukrainian agricultural and food products for several months, unblocked all border crossings with Ukraine on Monday, Polish border guards announced.

Access to all crossing points in Ukraine is now “unhindered,” Polish border guard spokesman Andrzej Juzwiak was quoted as saying by the media.

Reacting to the news, Ukrainian Minister of Agriculture Mykola Solsky expressed his gratitude to Poland for “its constructive work” in unblocking the border.

He also noted that the negotiations with Warsaw and professional associations were not easy, but that ” the main thing is to get a result“, announcing the upcoming hearing on May 7.

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Polish farmers and truckers have been blocking several border crossings with Ukraine since late last fall, in protest against ” unfair competition » Ukrainian agricultural products flood the markets of the European Union (EU).

Their dissatisfaction is also connected with the fact that since February 2022, Ukrainian truckers have been exempted from permits to cross the border with Poland, which made their services cheaper and more attractive.

Although border crossings are open, trucks transporting embargoed grain products in Poland will continue to be subject to certain restrictions.

In late March, the heads of government of Poland Donald Tusk and Ukraine Denys Chmygal reported on progress during intergovernmental consultations on the agricultural dispute between the two countries.

Mr. Tusk reported on progress regarding import quotas for Ukrainian agricultural products, as well as the issue of transit of Ukrainian products through the territory of Poland.

For his part, Mr. Chmygal pointed out that Ukraine will continue its policy of restricting the export of wheat, corn, sunflower and canola to Poland, introduced after the agreement with Warsaw in the spring of 2023.

With MAP