The protesters have gathered in front of the Prime Minister's office. They are also planning to stage a demonstration in front of the parliament building.

The organizers expect today's protest to be even bigger than the huge demonstration held on February 27, when around 10,000 farmers came to the Polish capital. They said up to 150,000 people might take part in Wednesday’s event.

The protest is planned to continue until Friday.

Talks ongoing

“Prime Minister Donald Tusk is holding talks with farmers, the European Commission has agreed to concessions on the Green Deal, bilateral talks with Ukraine on trade are underway,” Poland’s Agriculture Minister Czesław Siekierski told the Sejm on Wednesday, addressing the ongoing protests.

The minister noted that Tusk met with representatives of striking farmers a few days ago, and it was a long, four-hour meeting, and a continuation of that conversation will be held on Saturday.

Siekierski added that it should be remembered, however, that the farmers' protests began in the autumn, and it was the farmers' response to the inaction and omissions from an earlier period.

The unresolved issue

The protesters are seeking a withdrawal of the European Union’s Green Deal, which they deem to be destructive to their livelihoods and built on false premises. They are also demanding that the borders be closed to non-EU agri-products and the protection of animal farming in Poland.

The protests have involved blockades of the Polish-Ukrainian border and the destruction of some imported agri-products.

Trade union leaders warned in late February that the protests will continue to grow unless the government finds a quick solution to resolve farmers’ problems.