Polish farmers to end blockade at one blocked Ukrainian border checkpoint
Polish farmers have agreed to suspend their blockade of one of the currently blocked Ukraine-Poland border checkpoints through Christmas and New Years, Roman Kondrów, head of the Polish farmer association Podkarpackie Deceived Village, said on Dec. 23, according to Polish news outlet RMF FM.
The protests will be suspended from 8:00 a.m. on Dec. 24, until Jan. 2 or 3, 2024. If Kondrów receives a written statement from the Polish prime minister that the farmers’ demands have been met, the protest will not resume, he said.
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Farmers from the Podkarpackie Deceived Village started blocking the Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint on Nov. 23. They demanded, among other things, corn subsidies, additional money for liquidity loans, and keeping the agricultural tax at the current level next year.
Polish Agriculture Minister Czesław Siekierski stated that the protesters' demands would be met, but "it will take time."
Read also: Polish blockade at Ukrainian border sparks queues at checkpoints in Slovakia, Hungary
Funds to fulfill some of the demands have allegedly been provided for in the state budget, which is currently under consideration.
At a press conference, protesters also reported that an agreement had been signed in Medyka with farmers from the United Village organization who are protesting at the Dorohusk-Yagodin crossing. The document contains such demands as the cessation of sugar imports and the immediate payment of direct subsidies.
Blockade of the Ukrainian-Polish border
Polish truck drives began a blockade of checkpoints on the Poland-Ukraine on Nov. 6. They blocked three checkpoints for the passage of freight transport: Korczowa-Krakivets, Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska, and Yagodin-Dorohusk. On Nov. 22, the blockade of the Yagodin-Dorohusk checkpoint on the Ukrainian-Polish border was extended until Feb. 1, 2024. On Nov. 23, the Shehyni-Medyka checkpoint was also blocked.
The protesters' demands include: making Ukrainian freight carriers require permits again, tightening the ECMT transportation rules for foreign carriers, banning the possibility of registering companies in Poland if the company's accounts are not in the EU, a separate line in the eQueue system for vehicles with EU license plates, a separate line at all borders for empty trucks, and access to the Shlyakh system.
The European Commission announced on Nov. 16 that it may initiate punitive proceedings against Poland if it does not resolve the blockade of the checkpoints on the border with Ukraine.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
