Ukraine calls on Poland to punish farmers who blocked grain trucks

Kiev has called on Warsaw to punish Polish farmers involved in blocking and forcing Ukrainian trucks to dump grain on the road at the border.

Ukraine's Ministry of Agriculture on February 12 condemned "Polish protesters' deliberate sabotage of Ukrainian grain" and expressed "hope that Poland will quickly identify and punish the perpetrators."

Polish farmers have been protesting at the border since last week, blocking three border crossings to protest against cheap imports of Ukrainian grain. They stopped trucks carrying Ukrainian agricultural products from crossing the border and dumped the grain on the road. The move has further strained bilateral relations, following protests by Polish truck drivers in November to demand a review of the issuance of travel permits for Ukrainian drivers to the EU.

Warsaw said it had opened an investigation into a “violation of customs security and damage to property”. Agnieszka Kepka, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office in Lublin, said the spilled grain “may not be suitable for further use”.

Polish farmers block a road during a protest in Dorohusk, eastern Poland, on February 9. Photo: AFP — Polish farmers block a road during a protest in Dorohusk, eastern Poland, on February 9. Photo: *AFP*

The agricultural sector in Ukraine, once known as the “bread basket of Europe”, was turned upside down after Russia launched a war in February 2022. Many export hubs on the Black Sea were blockaded and farmland was rendered uncultivable due to the war.

In Kiev, outraged officials demanded that Warsaw publicly condemn the grain spill. "The lack of response by the Polish authorities to the destruction of the cargo will lead to xenophobia and an increase in political violence," Ukraine's Deputy Economy Minister Taras Kachka said.

Polish police confirmed on February 12 that they had inspected the scene and interviewed witnesses. The evidence collected will be "immediately sent to the prosecutor's office in Chelm for evaluation and legal proceedings," according to Ewa Czyz, a local police spokeswoman.

Rafal Mekler, the leader of the Polish truckers’ protest, said he was at the border on February 12 and was protecting the farmers’ protest. Polish transport companies have said they will continue to block the border if their demands are not met.

The protests in Poland are an embarrassment for Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who is seeking to mend ties with Kiev. Tusk, who arrived in Paris for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on February 12, stressed that Poland would always support Ukraine. He pledged to "find a solution" amid a wave of farmers' protests across Europe.

Hong Hanh (According to AFP )

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