Embargo on Ukrainian grain. Morawiecki: Poland will maintain a complete ban
– After September 15, Poland will maintain a total ban on imports of Ukrainian grain. The government will put the interests of millions of Polish consumers first, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in his Tuesday speech.
In Tuesday’s speech, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that Poland would maintain the embargo on Ukrainian grain, regardless of the European Commission’s decision. – The EC’s decision opened the door to the import of food products from Ukraine, which then resulted in the outbreak of the agricultural crisis. What was supposed to be just a transit turned out to be a mechanism leading to flooding the Polish market with cheaper grain from Ukraine, Morawiecki said.
Poland is putting pressure on the EU
The Prime Minister recalled that in April, Poland, along with other frontline countries, introduced a ban on grain imports from Ukraine. – Only then did the EC take a favorable stance towards us. It was our pressure that resulted in the EU embargo being in force. It expires in three days, Morawiecki said.
As the Prime Minister says, negotiations on extending the EU ban have been going on for weeks, but so far they have not been successful. Therefore, regardless of the European Commission’s decision, Poland will introduce its own restrictions.
Ban on grain imports
The EU ban on grain imports from Ukraine is valid until September 15. The authorities of the frontline countries are calling for its extension, where excessive import of cheap products from Ukraine has led to the destabilization of the agricultural market. In addition to Poland, those who want to extend the ban include: Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia.
More than a month ago, the Polish government announced that if the EC’s decision is unfavorable, Poland will introduce an embargo itself, just like it did in the spring.
– This has nothing to do with our treatment of Ukraine as such. Suffice it to recall that Poles opened their homes and their hearts. We have prepared shelter for millions of women and children here. But we cannot agree to the entire Polish market being disrupted as a result of uncontrolled imports into Polish territory – emphasized the Prime Minister.
