The blockade on the Ukrainian border continues after the brief holiday pause.

Members of the NGO „Deceived Countryside”, who have joined the ongoing protests of Polish truckers at several border crossings, suspended their blockade on 24 December for the Holidays, but decided to resume on Thursday, Remix News reported.

Farmers started a blockade of the Medyka border crossing on 23 November to join forces with other blockades at the Korczowa, Dorohusk and Hrebenne border crossings. Their demands include subsidies for corn, additional money for liquidity loans, and maintaining the current level of agricultural taxes through 2024. Lorry drivers have been blocking border crossing points with Ukraine since November of last year, complaining of unfair competition from their Ukrainian counterparts.

Farmers in #Poland are continuing to block border points with #Ukraine.

This is the „Medyka – Shegyny” crossing point which protesters pledge to keep closed to trucks for a month or until the new Government in Warsaw gives in.#StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/iCm196rUDB

— Tim White (@TWMCLtd) January 4, 2024

Protesting farmers said on Thursday that they had received no confirmation that their demands would be met, adding that they need written declarations, not just a memo from the agriculture minister. Farmers are also worried that cheap and inferior-quality Ukrainian agricultural products are flooding the European market, while producers in EU member states are required to meet much stricter standards and cannot compete on price with Ukrainian goods.

Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Siekierski said it would take time to meet farmers’ demands as the 2024 budget, currently before Parliament, had to be approved, but assured that there were funds in the budget for subsidies and loans.

Siekierski told reporters that he had sent farmers a note in which he confirmed that he would push their demands through, including subsidies for corn, which requires European Commission notification, a 2.5 billion zlotys (€575 million) increase in agricultural lending with loans available at 2 per cent, and no increases in the agricultural tax.

Minister @CzSiekierski dla @tvp_info: Byłem na granicy, gdzie rozmawiałem z protestującymi. Przygotowanie rozwiązań wymaga jednak decyzji ustawowych. Czekamy na zgodę #UE na dopłaty do kukurydzy. Chcemy utrzymać niskoprocentowe kredyty. Chcemy też, by samorządy miały możliwość… pic.twitter.com/2WunTHIZfL

— Ministerstwo Rolnictwa i Rozwoju Wsi (@MRiRW_GOV_PL) January 2, 2024

The farmers have pledged to allow all private cars, as well as military, humanitarian and perishable goods convoys through the blockade. However, as for all other vehicles, only three lorries per hour are being allowed through the border.