2024-01-03 21:18 update: 2024-01-04, 20:43
Photo PAP/Darek Delmanowicz
Farmers, who had been blocking the border crossing with Ukraine at Medyka, south-eastern Poland, will likely resume their protest on Thursday.
Members of the organisation 'Deceived Countryside', who joined the protest of the Polish truckers, had previously suspended their activity for the holiday period, but are now vowing to relaunch the blockage once again.
"We didn’t receive an on-paper reassurance that our demands will be met, so we will continue our protest," Roman Kondrow, the leader of the organisation, told PAP on Wednesday.
Before the holidays Kondrow clearly stated that if he were to receive a written declaration from the prime minister that their demands were going to be met, the protest would most probably not be resumed.
Kondrow told PAP that as of Wednesday, he has not yet received such a declaration.
Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Siekierski gave his assurance that the farmers' demands will be met, but stressed that it would take time.
However, because of the lack of a written assurance, the farmers will hold a press conference near the Medyka border crossing at 8am on Thursday, during which they intend to announce the resumption of the protest.
Kondrow said that this time the blockade will be more severe. One vehicle will be let through every hour.
Passenger cars, coaches and lorries carrying humanitarian aid and military equipment, as well as perishable foods will be let through as normal.
"We no longer believe Ukrainians, because they try to force us to let them through, saying that they carry perishable foods. We look inside and there are tulips on their way to Ukraine," Kondrow said.
"We will no longer let them make fools out of us, we are desperate," he said.
The farmers started blocking the Medyka border crossing on November 23. Among their demands are subsidies for corn, additional money for liquidity loans and maintaining the current level of agricultural tax throughout next year. Truckers have also been blocking the border crossings with Ukraine since November last year, complaining about unfair competition from their Ukrainian peers. (PAP)
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