2024-03-20 09:13 update: 2024-03-21, 15:00
Photo PAP/Jakub Kaczmarczyk
Polish farmers are continuing their months-long protests across the country against the European Union's Green deal and cheap food imports from outside the bloc, with more than 500 road blockades set for Wednesday.
The Green Deal, introduced to make European industry and farming more climate-friendly, has been the focal point of protests by farmers in a number of countries, including Poland, that have resulted in roads been blocked, cities gridlocked and, in some cases, clashes with police.
Poland's farmers complain that the excessive rules and bureaucratic procedures imposed by the EU's green farming policies harm agriculture and their livelihoods.
On Wednesday morning, Polish farmers started to block access roads to several major cities, including Warsaw, southwestern Wroclaw, western Poznan and northern Bydgoszcz.
Earlier they announced over 580 protest sites throughout the country with an estimated total participation of nearly 70,000 people.
The police have designated detours and asked motorists to respect the so-called emergency corridor rules.
"We talk to protesters at the site of each blockade. We appeal, among other things, to respect the principle of the so-called emergency corridors, that is allowing efficient passage of emergency service vehicles," said Warsaw Police Headquarters (KSP). (PAP)
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