Slovakia will temporarily stop importing grain and some agricultural products from Ukraine. The move follows similar decisions by Poland and Hungary. Protests are also increasing in Bulgaria, where for the moment there is no talk of a stop on imports. According to Central European countries, local farmers are suffering from cheap grain from Ukraine.
Ukraine says it understands the difficult position of farmers, but also says that it is even harder for Ukrainian farmers.
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year, ports on the Black Sea were blocked, preventing the export of Ukrainian grain. Under the leadership of Turkey, both countries nevertheless reached agreements for the export of grain from the besieged country.
Elections
The resulting abundance of grain and falling prices hit local farmers in central Europe hard. And they are also becoming a growing political problem. Poland’s ruling nationalist PiS party, one of Ukraine’s fiercest supporters, relies heavily on support from rural voters. There will be elections in Poland later this year.
In Warsaw, the agriculture ministers of Ukraine and Poland are looking for a solution. Poland is very important for the Ukrainian agricultural sector, ten percent of the country’s total food exports go to the neighboring country.
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European Commission
However, according to Poland, an import ban is needed to “open the EU’s eyes to the fact that further decisions are needed”. However, the steps taken by Poland and Hungary are mainly criticized by the European Commission.
Brussels has said that trade policy rests with the Commission and that countries are not allowed to take unilateral decisions on it. Already this week there is talk of a solution for the import of agricultural products from Ukraine.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
