Tractors of Polish farmers blocked a road crossing on the border with Lithuania in Budzisko. Road protests are also ongoing in three other locations in Podlasie.
According to Radio Białystok, there are four agricultural protests taking place in the region today. One of them is the announced blockade of the Polish-Lithuanian border crossing in Budzisko, which is expected to last for a week.
The farmers’ action in Budzisko is carried out in consultation and cooperation with the police and customs services. Farmers used tractors to block both lanes for trucks with a total weight exceeding 18 tons entering Poland from Lithuania. The vehicles are directed by police officers to the Traveler Service Area in Budzisko, where, after verification, loads containing agricultural and food products are checked and, if necessary, detained.
Grain carousel
The Lithuanian authorities have not decided to introduce a ban on the import of grain from Ukraine or any restrictions. As a result, Lithuania – according to the protesting farmers – enabled the so-called grain carousel. It consists in the fact that Ukrainian grain passes through Poland as if in transit to Lithuania – so it is not monitored – and then immediately returns as EU goods and is not subject to any control.
The Lithuanian government and services firmly deny these allegations. They accuse Poles of violating EU regulations regarding the free movement of goods within the EU and the free trade agreement with Ukraine.
The Kremlin’s game?
Lithuanian Minister of Agriculture Kestutis Navickas claims that the suspicions of Polish farmers are unfounded and no signals have been received that could confirm them. According to official data, Lithuania imported only slightly over 100,000 tons of Ukrainian grain last year.
– Claims that Lithuania is somehow being used in some kind of grain carousel look like an attempt by the Kremlin to quarrel Ukraine’s two biggest allies – said Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, quoted in the Lithuanian portal LRT.lt.
Blockades on three roads
According to regional media reports, Podlasie farmers are protesting in three more places in Podlasie. The tractor blockade continues on national road No. 19 in Wojszki. The tractors blocked, among others, crossing on the bridge on the Narew River. Farmers are also protesting on the border of Podlaskie and Masovian Voivodeships, blocking provincial road No. 645 in Kuzie, and in Kolonia Zabłudów, where they blocked the road towards Hajnówka.
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