Polish Protesters on Agricultural Machinery Block Polish-German Border

Polish protesters with agricultural machinery have blocked the border with Germany at the Schwiecko border crossing near Frankfurt am Main, claiming that EU environmental regulations are too strict for them. The blockade on the Polish-German border will last for four days. Protesters will block all lanes in both directions. In this regard, the Polish and German authorities expect significant traffic congestion, Zeit reports.

On the Polish side, the motorway was blocked at the Świeczko crossing, a police spokesman in Frankfurt (Oder) said. The motorway - called the A12 on the German side and the A2 on the Polish side - was blocked in both directions. Drivers are warned about the closure of motorways in the region by warning signs.

The border crossing is located on the motorway connecting Berlin and Warsaw. Around 17,000 trucks use this route every day to travel between Germany and Poland.

In Spain, thousands of Spanish farmers demonstrated again with hundreds of tractors in Madrid. A representative of their association warned that farmers would intensify their protests again if many problems in the agricultural sector are not resolved. The central government in Madrid has already made some concessions. However, farmers called them inadequate. In addition to fair prices, Spanish farmers are demanding, among other things, a stronger position in the food chain, stricter controls on non-EU imports, and a reduction in environmental regulations and bureaucracy. 

For several months, farmers in several European countries have been protesting against EU environmental regulations, which they criticise as too restrictive, and against cheap imports from Ukraine. They also blocked border crossings with Germany and Ukraine.

Previously, Polish protesters blocked border traffic on this motorway for 24 hours in late February. About a thousand farmers with 500 tractors and 300 trucks and vans took part in the action.