“The meeting lasted much longer because we talked about very specific proposals put forward by the leaders of protest groups across Poland. Despite the fact that they sometimes have different views on different issues, the protesters are not all my fans, but they do have very strong arguments,” said Donald Tusk after a meeting with protesting farmers. Let us not forget that not all representatives of the protesting farmers were allowed to attend the meeting. The farmers themselves announced that no agreement had been reached and that the protest would continue.
The proposed solutions may not yet be coherent; perhaps some expectations are highly exaggerated because they primarily concern changes in EU policy
– he said.
I must say that something that is a very serious obligation for me and stems from the belief of my interlocutors that I am capable of negotiating anything in the EU, is a change in the EU’s position when it comes to free trade with Ukraine, but also when it comes to free trade with Ukraine. it concerns sanctions or an embargo on Russian and Belarusian agricultural products, and the provisions of the Green Deal
– added.
Nothing has changed here, except that the argument is becoming more serious. The first thing I want to say strongly is that (…) I think we all finally believed that we were somehow on one side. The Polish government and the demonstrators have one goal: how can we protect the Polish market, the European market, from the very unfair and crushing consequences of, in my opinion, an unwise decision to fully liberalize trade with Ukraine?
– he said.
“Here we are on the same side.”
We agreed that we would prepare precise demands from the Polish side, not only from the demonstrators, but also from the government, regarding changes to the Green Deal. It is well known that this is not about overturning or throwing away the entire Green Deal, but in fact almost all the provisions in the Green Deal relating to agriculture, especially now in times of war and tax-free trade, are once again a blow and they must be suspended. or withdrawn.
– he said.
Here my interlocutors were absolutely unanimous. There is no question that the provisions of the Green Deal are subject to this conditionality requirement. The point is that it is a compulsion that they have to do that, otherwise there would be no subsidies, for example. We must distance ourselves from this. Farmers are willing to implement the Green Deal in a flexible, evolutionary way where that is possible and understandable to them, but they disagree, and I am on their side, with the forced enforcement of provisions that are not entirely rational and, from the point of view of Polish agriculture, are exaggerated to say the least. We are on the same side here, we will draw up a list of Polish demands with the information that Polish agriculture will not respect the provisions if they do not change
– added.
Actions for an embargo on products from Russia and Belarus
Second, we will work together to cover Russian and Belarusian agricultural and embargoed agricultural products. It is unthinkable that during the war with Ukraine (…) Russian and Belarusian agricultural products could enter Europe at the same time without any restrictions.
– he pointed out.
To put it colloquially, I didn’t lie. I know what is within my reach, what is possible, I think this was at least appreciated by my interlocutors, I take them very seriously
– he said.
Probably next week, maybe the 5th, maybe the 7th, not on the day of the demonstration, because then the conversations will be worse, we will meet in this or a similar formation and then I will inform you about the effects of my actions and perhaps also about more drastic decisions, if necessary
– he pointed out.
tkwl
READ ALSO:
– There is no match! Farmers after leaving the meeting with Tusk: We have to wait a week for the Prime Minister’s actions. ‘We cannot suspend the protest’
— Gabriel Janowski expelled from the “agricultural top”! “Demanded to leave, locked in downstairs room”; “I wish I were forcibly removed.”
– ONLY HERE. Not all farmers were allowed to talk to Tusk. “This is a method to divide us farmers from the very beginning”
Source: wPolityce