At the meeting of EU agriculture ministers in Brussels, I will demand that the “Green Deal” be limited; These solutions are not accepted by farmers – said Czesław Siekierski, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on Sunday.
At a press conference, Siekierski, together with the deputy heads of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, referred to the issue of farmers’ protests taking place across the country and talks with their representatives.
We met yesterday at the border (Polish-Ukrainian – PAP) with representatives of protesting farmers to make an analysis and balance, said the minister. – We also talked to representatives of unions and agricultural organizations to start talks on Thursday that would somehow refer to the farmers’ protests, (…) set a certain schedule so that we could reach an agreement,” he announced. He said that the talks would be coordinated by deputy head of the ministry, Michał Kołodziejczak.
Farmers’ protests are the result of bad solutions and omissions over the years
According to Siekierski, the farmers’ protests are the result of “certain omissions, but also bad solutions.” “These bad solutions include the problem of the Green Deal, which has been introduced not for weeks or months, but for years, which was accepted and prepared by the former government, but which was also largely authored by the current (European) Commissioner for agriculture of Janusz Wojciechowski,” he said.
Siekierski assessed that “the solutions proposed in the Green Deal are not accepted among farmers, farmers believe that they even violate their professional dignity.”
He also referred to the meeting of EU agriculture ministers scheduled for Monday in Brussels. “I will definitely request, expect and demand a restriction of the Green Deal,” he declared. He clarified that this included, among others: o “Ład” solutions related to the use of pesticides or leaving fields fallow.
We also expect greater openness from the European Commission. We believe that the visit of Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission – PAP) and the Prime Minister of Belgium, which currently holds the EU Presidency, (…) will open a new approach on the part of President von der Leyen – said the Minister of Agriculture.
According to him, the president of the European Commission was “the main advocate of such a large opening for Ukraine” to the import of agricultural goods.
Siekierski pointed out that “certain safety brakes must be put in place, certain guarantees against violating markets with such extensive liberalization.” “We would even like to start negotiations with Ukraine as soon as possible. These negotiations will allow us not only to talk about the opening of the market, but also about the requirements that the EU places on farmers and on production that takes place in Ukraine,” he added minister.
The Commission should support farmers
In his opinion, the EC should consider supporting farmers who suffered losses as a result of the inflow of grain from Ukraine and the “Green Deal”.
For several days now, numerous protests by farmers have been taking place all over Poland, blocking, among others, roads, expressways, highways, and border crossings with Ukraine. Farmers oppose the inflow of Ukrainian goods, as well as European policy related to the so-called Green Deal.
The European Green Deal is a package of political initiatives aimed at putting the EU on the path to ecological transformation and ultimately achieving climate neutrality by 2050. The package includes initiatives in closely related areas, e.g. climate, environment, energy, transport, industry, agriculture and sustainable financing.
