Polish farmers plan protests on Lithuanian border to halt Ukrainian grain and agricultural imports

Polish farmers expand their protests. This week, they plan to block a checkpoint on the Lithuania border.

The co-organizer of the protest at the Lithuanian border, Karolis Piečynskis, told about this in a comment on LRT.

According to him, the protesters want to stop and check all vehicles that can transport Ukrainian grain or other agricultural products at the checkpoint between the Lithuanian city of Kalvaria and the Polish Budzysk.

"The protest should start on March 1 at 10 a.m. It will not be a complete blockade of the border crossing point. We, the farmers, together with the Polish authorities, would like to check what is being transported in the trucks, paying special attention to those vehicles that can transport agricultural products," Piečynskis clarified.

At the same time, they will not stop cars, fuel trucks, industrial goods, or trucks with livestock.

"We just want to prove and draw attention to what is happening because we believe our interests are being violated and do not receive support from anyone. The question of blocking the Lithuanian border arose while considering how to increase pressure on the Polish government," the protest co-organizer said.

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Polish farmers have been blocking Ukraine's border for several weeks. They do not allow trucks to pass, thus complicating Ukrainian exports.

Farmers are dissatisfied with the fact that Ukrainian grain transiting through Poland can allegedly remain in the country.

Recently, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal proposed a five-point plan to unblock the border.

Polish Minister of Infrastructure Dariusz Klimczak announced that agreements were reached with Polish carriers, and they temporarily stopped blocking checkpoints on the Ukraine border until March 1.

On January 7, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Serhii Derkach said that Ukraine had already fulfilled part of the agreements regarding unblocking the Polish-Ukrainian border. They were agreed upon in December 2023 during the visit of representatives of the Polish government to Kyiv. The Polish government had to work on satisfying the rest of the demands of the Polish protesters.

Polish carriers, and later farmers, began to block the movement of Ukrainian trucks in the fall of 2023. The reason for the carriers' strike is called "excessive competition" after the adoption of "transport visa-free" between Ukraine and EU countries.

Polish farmers are protesting to soften the European "green rate" and to receive more subsidies and compensations.

Due to the blockade, the Ukrainian economy has already suffered billions of euros in losses, and Poland's economic losses are even greater. In addition, three Ukrainian drivers died on the territory of Poland.