The coalition of Civic Coalition, Left, Confederation and Poland 2050 announced their support for a PSL motion calling for a vote of no confidence in Henryk Kowalczyk, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Politicians from these groups stated on Sunday that they would back the move and defend the minister against what they described as fabricated allegations. PiS MP Radosław Fogiel emphasized that they would stand by the minister and counter the accusations with resolve.
PSL to file a motion to dismiss Minister Kowalczyk
During a Saturday meeting with residents in Busko-Zdrój, PSL President Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced plans to introduce a motion to dismiss Deputy Prime Minister and Agriculture Minister Henryk Kowalczyk next week. He claimed that Kowalczyk had deceived the Polish countryside and misled Polish farmers about critical issues requiring attention.
On Sunday, ahead of discussions among lawmakers, Polsat News aired clips from the farmer.pl portal showing a protest at the AgroTech fair in Kielce on Friday. Kowalczyk was seen among the demonstrators, surrounded by members of the Cheated Village Association who voiced their discontent with whistles and loud chants directed at the minister.
Deputy Speaker of the Sejm and PSL MP Piotr Zgorzelski commented on the farmers’ behavior, explaining their frustration over substantial Ukrainian grain entering Poland without adequate oversight. He argued that this influx contributed to lower prices and reduced incomes for Polish peasants, while simultaneously pushing up fuel and fertilizer costs.
Fogiel: Our minister will be protected
Radosław Fogiel, a Law and Justice MP, responded that there have indeed been instances in the past where Ukrainian grain was suspected of being moved through Poland after deceptive arrangements. He noted that wagons and trucks are still scanned at the Ukrainian border to prevent such movements, and he assured that measures have been taken to address these concerns.
Farmers living near the Ukrainian border receive compensation programs as part of the ongoing effort to support the agricultural community.
As with every no-confidence vote, the stance remains that the minister will be defended. The opposition’s influence will not determine membership in the United Right government, and the allegations are described as baseless. Law and Justice emphasizes its commitment to Polish farmers, pointing to subsidies aligned with European benchmarks and to recent changes related to retirement rules for farm ownership.
Fogiel spoke to PAP, outlining the government’s position and actions taken to assist the sector.
Opposition positions on the no-confidence motion
KO MP Mariusz Witczak stated that his caucus would support the motion to dismiss Kowalczyk, highlighting that opposition parties have previously cooperated on no-confidence measures. He suggested that substantive accusations against the minister would be addressed in discussion.
The head of the left club, Krzysztof Gawkowski, told PAP that resignation by Kowalczyk would be the likely outcome today, and if he did not resign, the left would vote to push for his departure. He underscored farmers’ growing frustration over unmonitored Ukrainian grain, fluctuating prices, and what he described as prolonged ministry incompetence.
Confederation MP Krzysztof Bosak announced on Polsat News that his party would back a no-confidence vote in the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
At present, Kowalczyk acts as a deputy within the administration under Prime Minister Kaczyński, a figure often tasked with easing social tensions by directing attention to specific ministries when needed.
The head of the Poland 2050 parliamentary group, Paulina Hennig-Kloska, also indicated support for the motion. She noted that the profitability of agricultural production in Poland has been declining for eight years and described the current step as a response from rural communities to the ongoing challenges.
Additional context around this situation has circulated in media outlets, reflecting a broader discussion about the government’s handling of agricultural policy and market dynamics.