Polish farmers resume blockade of border with Ukraine in Medyka

Polish farmers, despite assurances from the Polish government that their demands would be met, decided to resume the blockade of the road for truck traffic near the Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint.

Roman Kondrow, the leader of the organization of farmers "Podkarpackiej Deceived Village", which blocked the border until the Christmas holidays, told PAP.

"So far, we have not received written assurances signed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk that our demands will be fulfilled. There was only a note from the meeting (December 23 - ed.), in which Minister Siekierski (Minister of Agriculture of Poland - ed.) and Kołodziejczak (Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Poland - ed.) assured that our demands would be met. But we have not received written guarantees, so tomorrow we will resume the protest," Kondrow said.

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According to him, on Thursday, January 4, at 9 a.m. (Kyiv time), a press conference will be held in Medyka near the checkpoint on the Polish-Ukrainian border to inform about the resumption of the border blockade.

The leader of the protesters said that this time the protest would be more severe: the protesters would let one truck through for an hour. Trucks with military and humanitarian aid, explosives, and perishable food will be allowed to pass without a queue.

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As reported by the agency, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Kołodziejczak stated on Wednesday on RMF.FM that he hoped that Polish farmers would not resume the blockade of the road near the Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint, as the ministry agrees to fulfill all the farmers' demands. He added that on January 8, he plans to meet with the leader of the organization "Podkarpackiej Deceived Village" Kondrow to discuss the details of the farmers' demands and their implementation.

Farmers are demanding subsidies for corn purchases, keeping the agricultural tax at the 2023 level this year and extending the possibility of obtaining loans to ensure liquidity.

On November 6, Polish carriers blocked truck traffic on the border with Ukraine at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk, Krakivets-Korczowa, and Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne checkpoints.

Later, Polish farmers joined them at the Shehyni-Medica checkpoint, putting forward their demands.