The Agriculture Minister, Robert Telus, noted that Civic Platform has finally acknowledged a Polish village, remarking that so far attention and funding tended toward large cities. His comments came on Saturday, during a press briefing in Opoczno in the Łódź Voivodeship, in response to accusations from KO deputies that PiS has been plowing through the Polish countryside.
At the Opoczno event, Telus referenced the KO briefing given by Arkadiusz Myrcha and Marty Golbik, who asserted that PiS had plowed the rural areas of Poland. The minister reminded listeners of past policies that affected rural Poland, including cutbacks to rural services such as bus routes, police stations, and post offices, and changes to retirement benefits. He contrasted those measures with the current government’s actions, stating that agricultural pensions have risen from PLN 780 to PLN 1,600, highlighting what he framed as a stark difference in treatment of rural areas.
Telus reiterated that it is positive when opposition parties finally recognize the existence of Polish villages, noting that previously the focus had been on larger urban centers. He criticized the Civic Platform for not presenting concrete proposals to support agriculture, instead choosing to criticize. The minister underscored the importance of agriculture to national stability and prosperity.
During the briefing, KO MPs posed five questions to the government regarding agriculture. These questions touched on the proportion of farmland owned by foreigners during PiS governance, the entry of untested grain from Ukraine, the nine-month delay in addressing the grain situation, the presence of Danish and German meat on Polish tables, and the risks faced by dairy producers. Telus rejected the claim that foreign ownership of land had increased under PiS relative to PO-PSL, providing figures from earlier years: 695 hectares sold from state funds between 2008 and 2015, including 262 hectares of agricultural land, and 380 hectares sold from 2016 to 2022, roughly half of that amount in the prior period.
He stated that every grain imported into Poland undergoes testing and emphasized the government’s commitment to food safety. He described ongoing checks on grain stored in Polish warehouses and asserted that all grain is tested to ensure safety for consumers.
In a statement underscoring policy priorities, Telus declared that the importance of Polish agriculture is the top concern, even more critical than some EU regulations. He asserted that Poland can influence EU rules to benefit its farmers and that this will be pursued through dialogue with the European Union. The minister summarized the first month of his tenure, highlighting the focus on grain flows from Ukraine into Poland and actions such as the ban on certain Ukrainian agricultural products, including grain, and the EU’s renewed awareness of the issue.
He acknowledged the tension in balancing humanitarian support for Ukraine with protecting Polish markets, noting that solidarity corridors finally began functioning to ensure that Ukrainian products move toward the wider European market more efficiently. Telus framed the move as necessary to convey the seriousness of the matter to the EU, while ensuring that the Polish market is safeguarded.
According to the minister, the PiS government understands the difficulties faced by Polish farmers amid the ongoing war in Ukraine and remains committed to helping them endure the challenging period. He reiterated the stance that increasing internal support for agriculture remains a priority, including discussions about EU regulatory changes that could favor Polish farming interests.
Telus also stated that an alliance among frontline countries—Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary—will continue to coordinate responses to Ukrainian agricultural imports. He said improvements to the solidarity corridor would be discussed with the EU, and that a coalition that includes his government plans to request additional support for farmers from the European Commission, given the impact of Ukrainian imports on the Polish market.
The minister described the signing of an agreement with protesting farmer unions as a success and announced substantial state budget funding for Polish farmers, totaling approximately PLN 10 billion. He claimed Poland is the only European country assisting its farmers with fertilizer purchases, with 4.7 billion PLN allocated to help farmers acquire fertilizer. An additional measure involves a concrete program to aid grain sellers, providing 2,200 PLN per hectare of wheat.
Looking ahead, Telus identified the key challenge as freeing space in grain stores for the upcoming harvest and announced plans for thorough monitoring of Ukrainian imports such as frozen raspberries, poultry meat, and apple juice. He also warned about misleading information circulating in Poland, describing certain narratives as propaganda and urging vigilance against harmful rumors about grain safety. He stressed that every grain is tested and that such testing is essential for national safety.
“The importance of Polish agriculture is the most important to us”
Telus reiterated that Polish agricultural interests take precedence even over some EU regulations, stating that changes to EU rules are possible when they serve Polish farming interests. He spoke from his parliamentary office in Opoczno, reflecting on the month since taking office and outlining ongoing efforts to strengthen Polish agriculture.
He recalled starting his term by addressing grain movement from Ukraine into Poland and highlighted achievements, including the decision to curb certain Ukrainian imports and to communicate the issue within the EU. Telus explained that while Poland supports Ukraine, the measures taken were intended to protect Polish farmers and markets and to ensure EU awareness of the situation.
The minister described the broader plan involving frontline countries and continued cooperation with the EU to address the grain and agricultural products issue. He also outlined that ongoing monitoring will extend to a wider range of Ukrainian products, ensuring that Polish consumers are safeguarded against unsafe or unregulated imports.
The discussions, according to Telus, will include potential funding adjustments and regulatory changes aimed at supporting farmers through a difficult period, including measures to stabilize production and market conditions. The message remained clear: protecting Polish agriculture is a national priority that requires coordinated effort within the EU and with partner countries.
mly/PAP
Source: wPolityce