Protesters in Poland Completely Blocked Border with Ukraine and Dump Grain from Railway Wagons onto the Ground
On the border between Poland and Ukraine, truck traffic at the Medyka-Szegyni checkpoint is completely blocked by Polish protesters who are committing illegal acts by pouring Ukrainian grain onto the ground. This was reported by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. The leader of these "farmers'" protests is Rafał Mekler, the owner of a Polish transport company and head of the Lublin branch of the Confederation, a Polish far-right party with radical anti-Ukrainian rhetoric and ties to Russia.
The grain dumped by Polish protesters on the border with Ukraine is an eloquent demonstration of disrespect for the work of farmers, a violation of the law, and those responsible for this offence must be brought to justice.
This was stated by Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland Vasyl Zvarych in a commentary to Ukrinform.
Ukraine strongly condemns such actions of the protesters.
"The scattering of corn grain by Polish protesters in Medyka from wagons that were supposed to transit through Poland is another offence for which they must be held accountable. We are grateful to the Polish police, who decisively pushed the protesters away from the railway and managed to prevent further outrages," Zvarych said.
"Such actions are not worthy of Polish society, which has demonstrated and continues to demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine. With Ukraine, which also defends Poland and the whole of Europe from Russian evil. After all, while Ukrainian soldiers are holding back the aggressor on the battlefield, sacrificing their lives, Polish farmers are able to cultivate their fields freely and safely, without being exposed to mines and rocket attacks. In addition, let's not forget that the same Polish farmer is happy to use the labour of Ukrainians who work hard on Polish land so that the Polish farmer can make a profit from his business and also receive subsidies from the European Union," Zwarych said.
As a reminder, Poland began blocking the border with Ukraine on 6 November 2023. Then Polish carriers began blocking truck traffic at the Krakivets-Korchova, Yagodyn-Dorogusk and Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne checkpoints, allegedly due to excessive competition from Ukrainian carriers after the liberalisation of international transport between Ukraine and the EU.
Every month, the blocking of the checkpoints by Polish protesters intensifies and other "reasons and explanations" are added.
The State Customs Service of Ukraine reported that in the morning of 18 February 2024, the previously announced full blockade of truck traffic began at the Yagodyn-Dorogusk cargo checkpoint. The protesters are not allowing even perishable, dangerous or humanitarian goods to pass through.
As The Gaze previously reported, while farmers across Europe continue to protest against EU policies to reduce pesticide use, Polish protesters at the Ukrainian-Polish border, at the Yagodyn-Dorogusk checkpoint, have begun destroying Ukrainian grain trucks and dumping it on the roads.