Mateusz Morawiecki made the declaration via social media on Tuesday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
The prime minister wrote on the X social media platform: “Poland won’t let itself be inundated by Ukrainian grain. Regardless of what will be the decision of Brussels officials, we won’t open our borders.”
In an attached video message, Morawiecki added: “When it was necessary to help our neighbours, we opened our hearts and homes. That’s the way Polish people are.”
He stressed that “when it is necessary to fight for the Polish national interest, only the Law and Justice [PiS] government guarantees that the interests of our farmers will be protected.”
The prime minister stated: “We say no to the destabilisation and harming of the Polish agricultural market, the consumers and the producers. It was our tough stance that ensured the import of Ukrainian grain to the EU’s single market has been stopped.”
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.
Tuesday is day 566 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, rmf24.pl
