Polish farmers resume strikes: all cargo checkpoints on the border of Ukraine are blocked

Despite the Polish government's attempts to prevent the blockade of the Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint on the Ukrainian border, farmers have resumed their strike since January 4. The actual passage of vehicles was stopped after 10 a.m., and now all four checkpoints on the border between Ukraine and Poland are blocked for trucks again.

According to Andrii Demchenko, a representative of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, as of the morning of January 4, truck traffic continued, he said during TV marathon. Later, however, the SBGS reported that truck traffic at Shehyni had stopped.

"According to the available information from the Polish border guards, today at about 09:00 on the territory of Poland on the road in front of the Medyka checkpoint, adjacent to the Ukrainian Shehyni checkpoint, the blocking of traffic for trucks resumed. In this regard, traffic may be hampered "both when leaving Poland and when entering," the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine noted.

Currently, about 800 trucks are waiting to enter Ukraine from Poland in this direction. The organizers of the strike do not plan to interfere with the movement of buses and cars.

According to Radio Liberty, Polish farmers announced that the protest will last until February 3. They promise to let three trucks pass per hour and not to detain vehicles with humanitarian aid and perishable goods.

In general, the farmers plan to strike until the Polish government signs a guarantee to fulfill their demands. Therefore, there are chances that the strike will end earlier than the announced deadline.

According to Polish Deputy Minister of Agriculture Michał Kołodziejczak, the government is ready to fulfill the protesters' demands. It is emphasized that it is about:

• introduction of corn subsidies;
• increase in lending to farmers;
• maintaining the agricultural tax at the level of 2023.

Kołodziejczak's speech was preceded by a statement by farmers from the organization Podkarpackie Deceived Village (Podkarpacka Oszukana Wieś) about their intention to resume the blockade of the Medyka-Shehyni checkpoint on the border with Ukraine on January 4. At the time, they threatened to make the blockade tougher than the previous one and allow only one truck per hour.

In total, according to Demchenko, there are more than 2,200 trucks in line at the border between Ukraine and Poland. "In the morning, we have three checkpoints blocked: Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne, Krakovets-Korczowa, and Yahodyn-Dorohusk," he said.

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