After protests that paralyzed Europe earlier in 2024, the agricultural community is mobilizing once again, announcing new actions in Poland. Demonstrations will begin on November 23, 2024, at the Medyka border crossing with Ukraine, potentially continuing until year-end. Organizers, including various industry associations like the Podkarpacka Oszukana Wieś union, backed by representatives of the former government, announced that the blockade will operate round the clock. Passage through the crossing will be permitted only for emergency vehicles, military transports, and humanitarian aid.
Industrial vehicles, however, will be completely halted, with fears of kilometers-long queues of trucks waiting at the border. The choice of November 23 is symbolic: precisely one year ago, the first joint protests by truck drivers and farmers began at Medyka, eventually leading to several months of border blockades between Poland and Ukraine.
The new blockades follow the breakdown of talks with the Minister of Agriculture, who is accused of failing to provide any support to farmers despite numerous natural disasters in recent months. The southern part of the country was hit by Hurricane Boris, while other areas suffered severe drought, damaging pastures and crops.
Additionally, associations accuse the government of not honoring agreements made at the start of the year concerning tax reductions and funding for farmers. They also oppose the EU-Mercosur agreement, which aims to progressively eliminate tariffs on imported food products, a move that, according to Roman Kondrów, spokesperson for the organizers, will flood Europe with cheap food from South America. Farmers will also protest against the unfair competition posed by Ukrainian agricultural products, which are sold at low prices due to lower labor costs and EU concessions.
For now, Polish transport operators have voiced their opposition to the protest. Through their associations, they have urged farmers to call off the blockade, citing the economic damage caused by last year's protests. According to a report by DSV, the previous strikes led to losses in the transport sector amounting to 175 million PLN per day (approximately 40 million euros at the current exchange rate).
“We absolutely do not want to antagonize farmers. We understand their desperation, but the announcement of the blockade at Medyka will primarily affect the international road transport industry. Therefore, we ask them not to deprive us of our ability to work. The transport sector is already in a deep crisis, and this protest will only worsen the situation during a time — the Christmas season — when we should see a long-awaited increase in volumes,” said Anna Brzezińska, spokesperson for the International Road Transport Association (ZMPD). The mayor of Medyka has also expressed opposition to the protest and attempted to block it through a resolution, which was later overturned by the court.
While institutions and transport associations are working to prevent a new blockade at the Ukrainian border, protests may once again spread across Europe. Farmers have already called for demonstrations in France and Germany, and there is a real risk that unrest could expand to other countries as well.
By Marco Martinelli
