Farmers set to rally in Warsaw against Ukrainian exports during Polish EU presidency opening ceremony

Polish farmers will picket the European Commission's representation in Warsaw, as well as the National Opera House, where the official opening ceremony for the Polish presidency of the EU will be held this Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Farmer.pl says the rally is organized by over 20 farmers’ organizations united in the "Association of Agricultural Organizations".

"All agricultural organizations in our country will protest against the harmful policies of the European Union, against Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, who is imposing policies that will force us to close down," said Tomasz Obszanski, head of the Solidarity farmers' union.

According to him, farmers will protest against five dictates of the European Commission. These are the free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur countries, the European Green Deal, the import of agricultural products from Ukraine, the destruction of Polish forests and hunting opportunities, as well as the creation of obstacles to the development of the Polish economy.

Farmers plan to start the rally outside the Warsaw office of the European Commission before moving on to the National Opera House, where the ceremonial opening of the Polish presidency of the Council of the EU will take place.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on January 1, Poland took over from Hungary the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, setting out as key priority the efforts to strengthen Europe's security in the seven dimensions, including external, internal, information, economy, energy, food, and health.

President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Poland on the start of the presidency of the Council of the European Union, expressing hope that it will make Europe stronger.

Polish farmers blocked cargo traffic across the border with Ukraine in several locations from February to April 2024. At that time, they demanded that the Polish government pulls out of the European Green Deal, as well as blocked the import of various types of agricultural products from Ukraine.

Since April 15, 2023, Poland has been banning the export of grain (wheat, corn, rapeseed, sunflower) from Ukraine into Poland.

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