(MENAFN) In a significant escalation of their ongoing protests, Polish farmers, organized by the Solidarity trade union, have announced plans for a general strike and border blockades with Ukraine next week. The trade union, representing the agricultural community, stated on Thursday that border crossings with Ukraine will be made impassable during the strike, which is set to include intermittent road blockades across Poland lasting until March 10.
Citing dissatisfaction with the European Union's position, particularly during the European Union summit on Thursday, the Solidarity union declared, "Our patience has run out." The union expressed its discontent with the perceived inaction of the Polish authorities and their plans to collaborate with the European Commission, emphasizing a lack of choice but to initiate a general strike. The statement requested support from Polish citizens, framing the struggle as a pursuit of the "common good" for the nation.
The protests in Poland are part of a broader movement across the European Union, with farmers from Germany, France, the Netherlands, and various other member states demonstrating against what they perceive as the European Union's "green" climate policies.
These policies involve price hikes on fuel for agricultural producers and the influx of inexpensive Ukrainian imports into their domestic markets. Farmers converged on Brussels during the European Union summit, using over 1,300 tractors to voice their grievances. The protests turned confrontational, with demonstrators throwing eggs, rocks, and fireworks at the European Union Parliament building and setting piles of manure on fire.
Adding to the farmers' discontent, the European Commission proposed on Thursday to extend the suspension of customs duties on agricultural goods from Ukraine and Moldova through 2025. Initially implemented in 2022 to support Kiev during the conflict with Russia, the tariff suspension was originally scheduled to expire this year. The proposal has further fueled tensions between farmers and the European Commission, highlighting the challenges posed by European Union agricultural policies and the broader implications for member states.
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