On 9 February, Polish farmers will launch a nationwide strike to block all checkpoints on the border between Poland and Ukraine, according to the independent self-governing farmers' trade union Solidarity.
It is also planned to block roads and motorways in certain voivodeships.
The protests and road blocking will last until 10 March.
The decision to strike was approved at a meeting of the union's presidium on 31 January.
"Our patience has run out. Brussels' position on the last day of January 2024 is unacceptable for our entire agricultural community. In addition, the passivity of the Polish authorities and statements about cooperation with the European Commission and compliance with all decisions of the European Commission on imports of agricultural and food products from Ukraine leave us no choice but to call a general strike," the union said in a statement.
· In early January, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Poland said that the Polish-Ukrainian border would not be opened for Ukrainian goods, and the ban on exports would be indefinite.
· On 16 January, it became known that the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure had signed an agreement with carriers to end the blockade of the border with Ukraine by 1 March.
· On 24 January, large-scale farmers' protests against imports from Ukraine began in Poland. Tractors and agricultural machinery were brought onto the roads of the country's cities and villages in more than 150 locations.
· The protesters wanted to draw attention to the situation in Polish and European agriculture. In particular, they wanted to ban the free import of Ukrainian agricultural products. Other demands included changes to Polish and EU policies in this area, such as maintaining the agricultural tax rate at the level of 2023, cancelling the Green Deal policy and loyal lending programmes.
· During his visit to Ukraine, new Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk said that Ukraine and Poland would find a way out that would be beneficial for agricultural producers in both countries.