The Polish government has decided to ban imports of grain and other food from Ukraine to protect the Polish agricultural sector, the leader of the ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS), Jaroslaw Kaczyński, said on Saturday.
Large quantities of Ukrainian grains, cheaper than those produced in the European Union, have ended up remaining in Central European states amid logistical bottlenecks, hitting prices and sales for local farmers.
This has created a political problem for the PiS in an election year.
“Today, the government has decided on a regulation that prohibits the entry, importation of grain into Poland, but also dozens of other types of food [from Ukraine],” Mr Kaczyński said during the PiS party convention.
Ukraine claims strike on Crimea airfield as EU sends funds from frozen Russian assets to Kyiv
‘People can’t be held back’: Ukrainians flock to Odesa for wartime holidays in the sun
EY quits as auditor of Irish company owned by sanctioned Russian businessman
Russian drone crashes in Nato state Romania during attack on Ukraine
[ How do you get 20m tonnes of grain out of Ukraine?Opens in new window ]
The list of these goods will be included in the government regulation, and there are goods “from grain to honey products, very, very many things”, he added.
“We are and remain unchanged friends and allies of Ukraine. We will support her and we support her ... But it is the duty of every state, every authority, good authority in any case, to protect the interests of its citizens,” Mr Kaczyński said.
Poland, Mr Kaczyński added, was ready to start talks with Ukraine to settle the grain issue, and the Ukrainian side had already been notified of the decisions made. of the Polish government.
The decision has come despite strong support afforded to Ukraine by Poland since Russia’s invasion last year, and the visit by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy to Warsaw just last week along with his thanks for agreeing a “powerful defence package” to help his country. – Reuters