Members of the PiS parliamentary group pulled back their draft resolutions that urged the government to address the concerns raised by protesting farmers. This move followed a decision by MPs from the ruling coalition to introduce their own amendments to the resolutions during a session of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. One of the amendments proposed that any unilateral embargo on Ukrainian agricultural products should only take effect after talks with the European Commission have taken place.
The Sejm held the first reading of three draft resolutions meant to pressure the government to respond to farmer protests during a Friday session of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.
KO calls for talks with the European Commission
The bill, initially submitted by PiS MPs and defended by Robert Telus, which urged an immediate indefinite embargo on all Ukrainian agricultural goods, was withdrawn after the committee voted on an amendment proposed by Piotr Głowski of KO. The amendment argued that any embargo must be preceded by negotiations with the European Commission.
During the committee meeting, KO representatives presented an amendment to the PiS draft, removing the call for an immediate unilateral embargo on Ukrainian food products as part of their defense of Polish farmers. All PSL MPs voted against the embargo and in support of the amendment.
– PiS MP Paweł Szrot wrote on the X platform.
Criticism aimed at the PiS government
The second PiS proposal, backed by Anna Gembicka and reportedly prepared with input from farmers, was withdrawn after the committee considered an amendment from Zbigniew Sosnowski of PSL-TD. The text suggested that the present difficulties faced by agriculture were the result of negligence and incompetence by the previous government.
Another development saw Confederation MPs withdrawing their own project, which had been framed by Krzysztof Mulawa, including calls to oppose the EU climate policy.
The committee endorsed a proposal from the Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, Mirosław Maliszewski of PSL-TD, to have the Presidium work on a new initiative developed with input from representatives of farming communities.
In the wider context, discussions at the committee reflected the ongoing tension between various factions over how to respond to the Ukrainian grain influx and the terms of any potential trade measures. The focus remained on balancing national agricultural interests with broader European Union policies and the potential consequences for farmers caught between competing regulatory aims.