Thousands of farmers march in Poland's capital to protest Ukrainian imports and EU policies

Описание: (27 Feb 2024)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Warsaw, Poland - 27 February 2024
1. Various of aerial footage of farmers march ++MUTE++
2. Farmers extinguish smoke flares
3. Various of protesting farmers with Polish flags
4. SOUNDBITE (Polish) Slawomir Izdebski, protest organizer, OPZZ Farmers Union:
"The demands are unchanged, it is to withdraw from the Green Deal completely, it is to protect our borders, primarily with Ukraine, for goods flowing from there that threaten our agriculture, and to protect animals. Animal protection, which means no agreement by farmers to eliminate or limit breeding, and there are such attempts."
5. Various of a man holding a crucifix with protesting farmers behind his back
6. SOUNDBITE (Polish) Andrzej (no family name given), protesting farmer form Lower Silesia region:
"In the European Union, first of all, or in Brussels, conditions are set without us. And nothing about us without us. We have a say, and it's getting worse every year."
7. Protesting farmers with Polish flags
8. SOUNDBITE (Polish) Andrzej (no family name given), protesting farmer form Lower Silesia region:
"This Green Deal is one great evil. Anyway, this is how France expresses it, Germany and Belgium. We are rebelling, we are rebelling, because it cannot continue like this."
9. Farmers march with Warsaw's the Palace of Culture and Science in the background
10. Farmers and tractor
11. SOUNDBITE (Polish) Zbyszek (no family name given), protesting farmer from Charbice, Łodz Voivodeship:
"Well, here we are pinned up, let me visualize it, like a dry butterfly in a display case, with one pin. Yes, we are in such a situation, and it is somehow planned in the EU that it is irreversible and the balance of cards in the EU is terrible at the moment."
12. Various of protesters marching
13. SOUNDBITE (Polish) Jan (no family name given), protesting farmer form Peczniew, Łodz Voivodeship:
"Nothing is said about profitability, and profitability is the main result of the protest. Farmers bought machines and various equipment (on credit) and today they have nothing to repay with. This is the worst topic. Non-stop, agriculture is becoming poorer, financially poorer and poorer and that is why we are having this strike today."
14. Various of protesters marching
15. Protester march holding a banner reading (Polish): "Cheated countryside"

STORYLINE:
Thousands of farmers marched in Poland's capital on Tuesday to protest European Union agricultural policies and imports of cheap food from neighboring Ukraine.

The demonstration forms joins weeks of similar protests across Europe.

Protesters say they want the Polish government to withdraw from the EU's Green Deal, a plan meant to fight climate change and help the environment with measures that they say are too costly.

The protesting farmers also want Poland's border with Ukraine sealed to the imports of grain and other food products that they say are bringing down the prices farmers can get on the domestic market.

The protesters, who for the most part left their tractors at home, planned to end up in front of the offices of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who on Tuesday was in Prague for a meeting with his Czech counterpart.

Tusk, who has described farmers’ anger as justified, said the countries would be working with Brussels to find solutions to farmers' demands.

Tusk also said Poland and Czechia are intent on helping Ukraine while acknowledging the “negative effects” that Ukrainian produce is having on local farmers.



AP video by Rafal Niedzielski

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