Tusk on farmers' protests: We want to help Ukraine, but we need to protect Polish market
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk (Getty Images)
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called on the EU to protect the agricultural market, stating that positive decisions for protesting farmers should be made soon, according to Wiadomosci.
The Prime Minister of Poland will participate in the Congress of the European People's Party in Bucharest today, March 7, where he will discuss farmers' issues.
He addressed the EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, hinting at his passivity in addressing the farmers' protests.
"I am constantly in touch with Brussels. I would really like no one to spoil this work because we are close to the finish line. Here is my sincere appeal, especially to Commissioner Wojciechowski, who has been rather passive during these long months, not to say that he has harmed this matter. It would be good if he didn't spoil anything at any stage, especially now when we may be finishing up with this," said Tusk.
The Polish Prime Minister added that he will meet with farmers on Saturday and hopes to announce "something serious."
Tusk also said that he will raise the issue of changes to protect European agricultural producers in Bucharest.
"We really want to help Ukraine, but at the same time, we must protect the European, Polish agricultural market," he emphasized.
Farmers' protests
On Wednesday, March 6, Polish farmers staged a large-scale protest in the center of Warsaw. They set fire to tires near Tusk's office and the Sejm.
Clashes with the police occurred during the protest, with protesters throwing cobblestones and burning flares at the police. In response to the aggressive actions, law enforcement officers had to use gas.
Thirteen Polish police officers were injured as a result of the protest, and the Polish authorities criticized the aggressive actions of the protesters.
Yesterday, March 6, Janusz Wojciechowski announced new legislative proposals to meet the needs of protesting farmers in EU countries. Later, the European Commission distanced itself from this statement by the commissioner.
