– The farmers’ protest has deep justification. It is a dramatic protest, also because part of it takes place on the border with Ukraine. I want to emphasize clearly: I know it – the protesting farmers in Poland are not anti-Ukrainian, said the Prime Minister at a press conference on Friday. He also declared his actions, which will ultimately contribute to a more ambitious relaxation of the requirements of the European Green Deal than currently declared by the EC.
On Friday, February 23 this year. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, visited Poland.
At a joint press conference with Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the President of the European Commission announced, among other things, that the reform plan related to the rule of law presented by Poland contributed to decisions being made next year that would trigger up to EUR 137 billion of special support for Poland (in under, among others, the Reconstruction Fund – Next Generation EU – KPO).
– We waited a while, but we got it! – Prime Minister Donald Tusk was happy at the press conference.
As he stated, approximately PLN 600 billion from the EU will flow to Poland.
– This is really a mountain of money that we will put to good use and we will also use it to relieve everything that is causing such tension and anxiety today.
And he added:
– The first quick payments will amount to approximately EUR 1.5 billion, which will go directly to small and medium-sized food producers. This will be the first such financial injection, which may bring some sense of security and perspective for our farmers.
It pays to be decent
– This is the day when – as a Pole I feel so deeply – we restore historical justice to a nation that has done more for the rule of law and democracy than anyone else in the world in the last several decades. This is an important signal, which I hope will be well received in Europe and around the world, that – as my friend Władysław Bartoszewski once said: it is worth being decent. And I will add to this modestly: it pays to be decent, said Donald Tusk.
The Prime Minister also admitted that he also talked to the president of the European Commission about “what focuses our emotions not only in Poland.”
– The farmers’ protest has deep justification. It is a dramatic protest, also because part of it takes place on the border with Ukraine. I want to emphasize clearly: I know it – the protesting farmers in Poland are not anti-Ukrainian – said the Prime Minister.
Donald Tusk noted that “one or the other provocateur may happen and we will deal with it.
– But protesting farmers, just like protesting transport workers, are standing on the border with Ukraine not because they are against Ukraine. These are very often the same people who have been helping, providing their apartments and their money to refugees from Ukraine in the last two years. In Poland (…) nowhere in Europe is there such uniform public opinion when it comes to support for Ukraine in its war effort. But please understand me well, said the Prime Minister: from the point of view not only of the Polish farmerThe European Union is there to effectively help Ukraine in the war with Russia and we still have a lot to do here and Poland will do everything to mobilize the world, including the EU, to effectively help (…) but the EU is also there to protect the market for EU citizens – emphasized Donald Tusk, standing next to Ursula von der Leyen at the joint conference.
We cannot sacrifice Polish farmers
– Our country has been waiting 10 years for Polish farmers to have more or less equal rights with their partners in the EU – recalled the Prime Minister, looking at the President of the European Commission. – For Poland to become an equal partner when it comes to agriculture for other EU countries. (…) EU countries knew well that if Poland received all the rights at once, Polish agriculture would be so competitive that no one would stand a chance against us, said Donald Tusk, clearly referring to the current position of Ukrainian agricultural production.
And he added:
– These are the interests of hundreds of thousands of hard-working people who are actually shouting about only one thing today: we want to compete on equal terms. We cannot, by helping Ukraine, sacrifice the vital, fundamental interests of large groups of people in Europe, especially here in Poland.
He also thanked Ursula von der Leyen for her offer of readiness to talk with representatives of protesting farmers about specific next steps that can be taken to improve their situation.
But he also added:
– I am in constant contact with our Ukrainian partners and I do not hide the fact that if necessary, in the coming days we will make further decisions regarding effective control at our border when it comes to products that go to the EU and Poland.
Green Deal – more ambitious actions needed
Donald Tusk admitted at the conference that the steps the EC has already taken to facilitate the Green Deal are steps in the right direction.
– From the point of view of many farmers and agricultural producers, it is good, but not sufficient. I will also look for common solutions and arguments in Brussels and Warsaw so as to convince all partners in Europe that even more ambitious steps are needed here – added the Prime Minister.
Because “it is in the interest of Europe and Ukraine that everyone wins from this Polish-Ukrainian and European-Ukrainian friendship and solidarity.”
– This is the condition for our common victory, also when it comes to this cruel, senseless war that Putin declared not only on Ukraine, but on the entire free world – he concluded.
– .
