Poland’s Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, engaged in extensive discussions with farmers in Warsaw, pledging to address the grain surplus on the domestic market. The government aims to alleviate the surplus by potentially removing several million tons of grain, as indicated by Deputy Agriculture Minister Michal Kolodziejczak. Despite this commitment, union leaders, such as Tomasz Obszanski from the NSZZ RI Solidarnosc union, expressed dissatisfaction following the talks and affirmed their intention to persist with ongoing protests. The farmers’ demands include a cessation of cheap imports and environmental regulations perceived as detrimental to their livelihoods.
While the government’s proposal to tackle the surplus was presented during the talks, farmers emphasized that addressing the influx of grain from countries like Russia was essential to resolving the underlying issue. The protests in Poland have been part of a broader movement across the European Union, with farmers advocating for changes to restrictions imposed by the EU’s Green Deal plan and calling for the reinstatement of customs duties on agricultural imports from Ukraine.
The demonstrations in Warsaw witnessed clashes between farmers and law enforcement, underscoring the intensity of the protests and the challenges faced by the new government under Prime Minister Tusk. As tensions persist, farmers’ leaders remain resolute in their stance, emphasizing the need for concrete actions to address their grievances while navigating the broader geopolitical landscape shaped by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.