Main image by PAP/Wojtek Jargiło
The suspension of the blockade of border crossing points by Polish farmers is temporary — protests may resume in December and will be much larger in scale, said one of the strike leaders, Roman Kondrow, following a meeting with Poland's Minister of Agriculture, Czesław Siekierski, on Sunday, according to pap.pl.
During the talks, agreements were made, and farmers are expected to submit their demands to the Ministry of Agriculture by Tuesday, November 26, with Sekerński promising to provide a response by December 10.
"The issue of what will be decided, when, and how — these demands cannot be met simultaneously, as they require a series of regulatory decisions, so this will be a schedule for completing tasks with deadlines," clarified the minister.
On their part, farmers are expecting, among other things, that the Polish government and parliament will oppose the EU free trade agreement with South American MERCOSUR countries.
"We will suspend the protest, but we will not cancel it. If the agreements are not fulfilled, we will return, but it will be a massive protest across the entire eastern border of Poland," emphasized Kondrow.
As reported, Polish farmers blocked the Medyka-Shehyni crossing point on November 23, causing truck congestion on both sides. The blockade was lifted the following evening.
Farmers protested for two reasons: the failure to maintain the agricultural tax rate for 2024 at the same level as in 2023, and concerns about the EU signing a free trade agreement with the MERCOSUR countries. They also stated that if no agreements are reached, they plan to protest 24/7 until the end of the year.
Currently, all types of vehicles are crossing the border in the usual manner.
