Mateusz Morawiecki made the declaration in the southeastern Polish town of Tomaszów Lubelski on Friday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
At a meeting with residents ahead of the October 15 parliamentary elections, the prime minister said: “The interests of Polish farmers are a priority for our government. Either the European Commission will extend the ban on the import of Ukrainian grain on Wednesday, or we’ll extend it ourselves.”
Morawiecki stated: “We say yes to the transit of Ukrainian grain through Polish territory. It has been taking place in recent months and a growing amount of grain from Ukraine is being transported to foreign markets via this route.”
The prime minister stressed: “However, we say a clear and unequivocal no to all the Ukrainian oligarchs who seek to destabilise the Polish agricultural market.”
Morawiecki added that the government was determined to prevent attempts “to unbalance and harm the Polish agricultural market, Polish consumers and Polish producers.”
The prime minister stressed: “For the Law and Justice (PiS) government, the interests of Polish farmers and the Polish economy are a top priority.”
The EU’s executive Commission in May introduced a ban on the import of wheat, corn, rapeseed, sunflower and sunflower oil from Ukraine to Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, based on an agreement with these five countries, the PAP news agency reported.
The embargo was initially effective until June 5, and later extended until September 15.
Meanwhile, the transit of Ukrainian grain through the five countries “near the frontline” remains allowed.
In July, Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that his country would not open its borders to Ukrainian grain when the European Union ban expires on September 15.
Agriculture Minister Robert Telus said at the time that Ukraine's five EU neighbours wanted the embargo prolonged at least until the end of the year, the PAP news agency reported.
Friday is day 562 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
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Source: PAP, Kurier Lubelski