Polish farmers set to block checkpoint on Ukraine border

Polish farmers are preparing to block cargo traffic at the Medyka – Shehyni checkpoint on the border with Ukraine until year-end.

That’s according to Ukraine’s Customs Service, Ukrinform reports.

"According to a report that came from the Polish side, local farmers have announced a possible protest rally by blocking the movement of freight vehicles outside the Medyka – Shehyni checkpoint from October 8 to December 31, 2024," the statement reads.

So far, all vehicles cross the border as usual.

As reported, on June 4, 2024, Polish farmers blocked the cargo section at the Rava-Ruska - Hrebenne checkpoint on the border with Ukraine.

Earlier this year, from February 9 to April 28, Polish farmers were protesting on the roads leading to the checkpoints in Poland near the border with Ukraine. The main demands of the protesters included a ban on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products and Poland's abandonment of the European Green Deal.

During that time, there were five cases where protesters would spill Ukrainian crop batches from freight cars onto the tracks and from trucks onto motorways.

After the border was unblocked, the Ukrainian Ministry of Agrarian Policy expressed gratitude to their Polish counterparts for “constructive work” in engaging with protesters and effectively ensuring the unblocking. Rounds of talks were held involving the agrarian industry associations from both countries.

It was foreseen in April that negotiations between the ministries and associations would continue in the future. The parties agreed to exchange monthly figures on the transit of agricultural products to monitor the situation.