Blockade of the Polish border: investigation of a farmer with Putin poster launched, Consul General apologizes to Ukraine
Polish farmers intensified traffic restrictions across Poland's border with Ukraine on Feb. 20,following an announced plan to completely block all border crossing points (BCPs) on that day.
Polish farmers began blocking several checkpoints on the Polish-Ukrainian border as early as Feb. 9. Farmer trade union Solidarity, one of the strike’s organizers, announced a complete BCP blockade starting from Feb. 20 and plans to carry on strikes until March 10, 2024.
One of the stated reasons for the strike is the export of Ukrainian goods to Poland, which allegedly causes the price of Polish products to plummet.
However, most Ukrainian agricultural products go through Poland in transit, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy of Ukraine emphasized.
Polish farmers might be pushing to receive subsidies from authorities and to postpone the introduction of new Green Deal policy initiatives which are aimed at reaching climate neutrality by strengthening the requirements for the environmental friendliness of agricultural products.
A number of incidents occurred on Feb. 20 that worsened the situation with the traffic, and "the strikers have begun to restrict the movement of vehicles on the border more aggressively," the State Border Service of Ukraine warned.
The latest updates on the situation at the border are being monitored by NV.
Blockade of the border with Poland: the current situation and the latest news
Feb. 21
10:45 a.m. EET
The Consul General of Poland in Lviv, Eliza Dzwonkiewicz apologizes to Ukrainians for ‘shame and disgrace’ at blocked border on Facebook.
The diplomat recalled the events of the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, in particular, the refusal of the Soviet troops to allow allied aircraft to land on the territory under their control.
"I thought that only Russians could behave so shamefully.” Dzwonkiewicz wrote.
“In the end, aid intended for the rebels was dropped from these planes on the outskirts of Warsaw and ended up in German hands.”
"I can no longer remain silent. Out of love for my country,” she added.
“I cannot pretend not to see these shameful actions of Poland on the Polish-Ukrainian border. I am sorry, my dear Ukrainian friends. What is happening cannot be done by my people."
“A true Pole would never stab a neighbor fighting for freedom,” she stressed in her message.
10:18 a.m. EET
Former Ukrainian Ambassador to Poland Andrii Deshchytsia explained in an interview with NV Radio how the protests of Polish farmers on the border with Ukraine are not only the means of putting pressure on the government, but also may result in weakening the Poland’s national security, which benefits the Kremlin, and why Ukrainian grain is being dumped.
07:26 a.m. EET
A Polish farmer who protested with a banner asking Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to “handle” Ukraine, Brussels, and Poland’s own government was charged with promoting totalitarianism, the Polish police reported.
"No to breaking the law and inciting enmity!" – the statement said, adding that law enforcement agencies and the prosecutor's office "take measures in accordance with Article 256, paragraph 1" of the Criminal Code of Poland.
This article indicates a fine or imprisonment of up to two years for inciting hatred on the basis of public propaganda of a fascist or other totalitarian state regime or inciting hatred against the background of national, ethnic or racial differences.
Protesters began to restrict traffic on the border with Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service reported on Feb. 20. Truck traffic was blocked at the Medyka-Shehyni, Dolhobyczów-Uhryniv, Zosin-Ustyluh, Korczowa-Krakivets, Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska, and Dorohusk-Yahodyn BCPs.
Polish protesters also blocked the railroad near the Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint and spilled grain out of railroad cars on Feb. 20.
As of the morning of February 21, there is no free movement of trucks at any checkpoint on the Polish-Ukrainian border, First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotskyisaid.
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