Polish farmers are planning to block the checkpoint on the border with Lithuania from today, 1 March. Karolis Pečiņskis, co-organiser of the protest on the Lithuanian border, told this in a commentary to LRT, Kommersant Ukrainian reports
According to the man, the protesters want to stop trucks and check them at checkpoints between the Lithuanian city of Kalvaria and the Polish town of Budzyszko, as they may be transporting Ukrainian grain or other agricultural products.
“The protest is to start on 1 March at 10 am. It will not be a complete blockade of the border crossing. 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 carry agricultural products,”
– said Pečinskins.
He noted that such “checks” would not apply to cars, petrol tankers, industrial goods or livestock trucks.
“We just want to prove and draw attention to what is happening, because we believe that our interests are being violated, and we are not receiving support from anyone. The question of blockading the Lithuanian border arose when we were thinking about how to increase pressure on the Polish government.”
– Pečinskins explained the farmers’ position.
Border blockade
Problems at the border began on 6 November 2023, when Polish transport companies began blocking truck traffic at three major checkpoints on the Ukrainian border: “Korczowa-Krakowiec, Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska, and Dorohusk-Yagodyn. One of the requirements was to reinstate the permits for Ukrainian carriers that had been cancelled under the agreement with the EU by 30 June 2024.
On6 January, truck traffic to the Medyka-Shehyni border crossingin Poland resumed. Three other border crossing points were opened on 17 January, namely Dorohusk – Yagodyn, Hrebenne – Rava-Ruska, and Korczowa – Krakivets.
on 9 February 2024, Polish farmers began a new nationwide strike and blockade of the border with Ukraine, which will last until 10 March. It was initiated by the independent farmers’ trade union Solidarity. The main demand of the protesters is to cancel the preferential trade regime with Ukraine and to return the permit system for importing goods into Poland.
Meanwhile, Poland has already imposed an embargo on Ukrainian grain, Polish Deputy Agriculture Minister Michal Kolodziejczak said.
Polish Minister of Development and Technology Krzysztof Hetman, in turn, said that Poland could impose an embargo on all Ukrainian agricultural products.
Ukrainians responded by blocking the border for Polish trucks.
The situation is deteriorating every day. There are cases of Ukrainian agricultural products in transit being dumped in Poland. For example, on the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, on 24 February, at around 9am, unknown persons damaged freight wagons with beans. And on 25 February, eight wagons with Ukrainian corn were opened.