Referring to the demand for a reduction in agricultural tax, Minister Siekierski emphasized that local governments and mayors will have the option to exempt farmers from the increase in agricultural tax next year. The minister noted that the amount involved was approximately 80 million euros.
The visit by the new ministers to the border crossing followed the first Polish-Ukrainian talks in Kyiv on the grain issue by the new pro-European Polish government. Prime Minister Donald Tusk aims to resolve the grain issue within existing national and European regulations, without losing sight of the interests of Polish agriculture.
The lifting of the blockade at this one border crossing applies for two weeks. It is possible their example will be followed elsewhere. Support among Polish farmers for border blockades has declined in recent weeks after it became clear that it was primarily Polish grain traders who benefited from the relaxation of EU export rules over the past year. They bought large quantities of cheaper Ukrainian grain, leaving Polish farmers stuck with their grain. Calculations by the European Union showed that nearly all of the purchased Ukrainian grain was resold and transported further via other EU countries.
Although the blockade on Ukrainian imports at this one border crossing is temporarily lifted, nothing is known yet about other import blockades. At several other Polish-Ukrainian border crossings, transports of Ukrainian freight are still being held up, but for several weeks now this has been due to protesting Polish truck drivers.
The truck drivers are protesting that Ukrainian drivers are now allowed unlimited trips and transports to EU countries at competitive lower rates. They also carry cargo on the return trip that otherwise would have been transported by EU drivers. The Polish truckers have announced they will intensify their blockade, which could lead to a further escalation of the conflict between the two countries.