President Andrzej Duda met with representatives of the agricultural union Orka at the presidential palace. The group consists of farmers who have been protesting in the Sejm since May 9 and who have recently begun a hunger strike. Also taking part in the talks were Piotr Ćwik, the Deputy Head of the President’s Chancellery, and Minister Wojciech Kolarski.
Kolarski told RMF FM in the morning that the meeting arose from a conversation the president had with the protesting farmers last week. Subsequently, Duda went to the Sejm to hear an update from the Deputy Prime Minister and from the head of the Ministry of National Defense, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, regarding the current state of state security.
On the topic of the engagement in the Sejm, Kolarski explained that when the president was there listening to the defense minister’s remarks, he also approached the demonstrators, showed them respect, and the protest was paused. He then invited the protesters to the palace, emphasizing that the doors of the palace are open to those who need support and assistance.
The initiative began on May 9 with eleven farmers gathering in the Sejm to press for a meeting with Prime Minister Donald Tusk about the EU Green Deal. Although there was an attempt to schedule a discussion, the protesters did not gain the access they sought. On May 22, after a dialogue with Andrzej Duda, they left the Sejm and the president addressed them as the sole representative of the authorities. He invited them to a meeting at the presidential palace, signaling a willingness to engage and listen. (source: wPolityce)
Further updates noted that information about the hunger strike and the demonstrations surrounding the Sejm continued to attract attention from the public and the media, highlighting the urgency of addressing agricultural concerns. The president’s outreach aimed to bridge gaps between the protesters and government leadership, presenting a pathway for dialogue and potential resolution. (source: wPolityce)
In coverage of the developing events, articles described the hunger protest as intensifying and drew attention to the protesters’ demand to meet Prime Minister Tusk. The president’s invitation to speak at the palace was framed as a gesture of solidarity and a step toward stabilizing the situation while ensuring that agricultural issues remained in the center of policy discussions. (source: wPolityce)
Photos accompanying the reports illustrated the scene in the Sejm and the later gathering at the presidential palace, underscoring the evolving dynamics of this political moment. The dialogue involving Duda, the union members, and senior government officials was presented as a critical moment in the ongoing conversation about agricultural policy and national security considerations. (source: wPolityce)