Polish farmers threaten to extend border blockade until April, block buses from crossing
Polish farmers demonstrating at the Ukrainian border said they planned to extend the border blockade until April and threatened to potentially "intensify" the protest by blocking the passage of buses, Polish media reported on Feb. 20, citing Roman Kondrow, the leader of an organization of Polish farmers involved in the protest.
Protests at the Polish-Ukrainian border erupted earlier in February as Polish farmers opposed the imports of Ukrainian agricultural products and the EU's Green Deal. Initially restricting the movement of trucks at six crossings, the organizers said they would extend the protest along the entire border on Feb. 20.
Ukrainian truckers launched counterprotests, and the situation at the border escalated after videos circulated showing Polish farmers spilling grain from a freight car at the Medyka-Shehyni border crossing.
According to the Polish media outlet Money.pl, Kondrow said that he plans to continue the protests until April.
Kondrow also told the Polish radio station RMF24 that the protesters could potentially expand the scope of their blockade and prevent buses from crossing.
"If we decide not to let buses in, it will be very bad. But perhaps then our authorities will finally look for substantive solutions," Kondrow said.
Past demonstrations have been limited to blocking commercial cargo. Humanitarian aid, military supplies, buses, and private vehicles were allowed to pass, albeit at a slower pace.
Earlier on Feb. 20, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko appealed to Polish authorities to assess the legality of the ongoing blockade and to take steps against anti-Ukrainian rhetoric and actions surrounding the protests.
The protesting farmers have also begun blocking roads in Poland on Feb. 20, complicating traffic across regions.
Dominic Culverwell
