Poland will not lift ban on Ukrainian grain imports, the country's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced at a press conference on Wednesday (July 19). He added, however, that transit of Ukrainian grain through Poland was still possible.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday that Poland will not lift the ban on September 15 even if the EU does not agree on its extension, while Hungary said that if there was no such agreement, it would use "all measures to prevent further suffering of Hungarian farmers".
"Already in less than two months, in line with the EU Commission's decision, we are to reopen the border (with Ukraine for grain products - edit.) on September 15. I want to say clearly, here at Poland's Agriculture Ministry, that we will not open this border. Either the European Commission agrees to work out ... regulations that will extend this ban or we will do it ourselves," he said.
"We will be tough, we will be determined, we will protect the Polish farmer. That's one thing. Secondly, if there are further signs of destabilization at other farming markets, at farming products markets, we will do the same thing. We will do the same thing because the Polish government is duty bound to protect Polish agriculture," Morawiecki added.
The prime minister added that Warsaw was allowing transit of Ukrainian grain through Poland.
"We are very open to transit"
Five central European countries want a ban on Ukrainian grains imports to be extended at least until the end of the year, agriculture ministers said on Wednesday after meeting in Warsaw.
The European Union in May allowed Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia to ban domestic sales of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seeds, while allowing transit of such cargoes for export elsewhere. That ban is set to end on September 15.
The countries include some of Kyiv's staunchest diplomatic supporters in its war against Moscow, but they say inflows of Ukrainian grain have hurt farmers at home.
Polish Agriculture Minister Robert Telus said the five countries signed a common declaration regarding the extension of the ban until at least the end of the year, which they will present in talks with the European Commission.
"But also in the agreement is our joint declaration that we are very open to transit," he added.
The ministers have indicated they would also like an option where countries could individually ask the EU to add products to the ban list.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters