Following weeks of protests by Polish farmers against cheap agricultural products from Ukraine, the government in Warsaw is no longer ruling out temporarily closing its border to goods from its neighbour.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Wednesday in Warsaw that his government was holding talks with the Ukrainian side. But closing the border could only be a temporary measure, he said.
“I am ready to make tough decisions when it comes to the border with Ukraine, always in agreement with Kiev, so that there are no unnecessary tensions. But we have to find a long-term solution,” Tusk added.
Farmers in Poland have been protesting for weeks against EU agricultural policy and against agricultural products coming from Ukraine. They want to prevent cheaper Ukrainian grain from reaching the domestic Polish market.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago, Brussels suspended all import tariffs and quotas on agricultural products from Ukraine to help the country economically.
Tusk and Agriculture Minister Czesław Siekierski plan to meet in Warsaw on Thursday for negotiations with representatives of farmers’ organizations.
“We will talk about possible grain subsidies and other measures to enable Polish grain to be sold as quickly as possible,” Tusk said.
The state can help purchase this grain so that Polish grain becomes more attractive in price than Ukrainian grain, he added.
