(MENAFN) Recent polling data in Poland indicates widespread dissatisfaction with the government's handling of ongoing farmer protests, with nearly half of respondents expressing criticism of the authorities' response. The survey, conducted to assess the first 100 days of the country's new government, also revealed frustration over the slow pace of fulfilling electoral promises made during the recent campaign.
Since January, Polish farmers have been staging persistent protests, including blockades of border crossings with Ukraine, to voice their opposition to restrictions imposed under the European Union's Green Deal and the influx of duty-free Ukrainian agricultural products, which they argue threatens their livelihoods. Despite some concessions by the government in Warsaw, including attempts to address concerns about unfair competition, agricultural workers remain steadfast in their demands for comprehensive solutions to their grievances.
The findings of the poll, reported by Polish legal and business daily Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, underscore the depth of public discontent, with nearly half of respondents characterizing the government's response to the farmer protests as a "defeat." Moreover, over half of those surveyed expressed frustration over the perceived sluggishness in implementing campaign promises, highlighting growing disillusionment with the incumbent administration.
Against this backdrop of simmering discontent, tens of thousands of farmers converged on multiple Polish cities, including the capital Warsaw, on Wednesday, intensifying their protests by obstructing key roads and highways with tractors and heavy machinery. The mass mobilization underscored the resolve of the agricultural community to escalate their actions until their demands are met, with organizers pledging to "paralyze" the entire country to draw attention to their plight.
The escalating farmer protests in Poland signal a growing challenge for Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government, as it grapples with mounting public dissatisfaction and demands for meaningful action to address the concerns of the agricultural sector. As tensions persist, the government faces increasing pressure to engage in constructive dialogue with farmers and deliver tangible solutions to alleviate their grievances, lest the protests escalate further and deepen social divisions within the country.
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