The demonstration, spearheaded by the All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions (OPZZ), aimed to challenge the EU's Green Deal energy transition plan and advocate for an end to duty-free trade with Ukraine.
Sławomir Izdebski, chairman of the OPZZ, said the farmers were "united under the national flag" and determined to have their demands fulfilled.
"No one wants to come off the field defeated," Izdebski said. "If a lot of people gather in Warsaw, then there will be a basis for firm action ... and solutions to support our agriculture."
The central protest in the Polish capital marked an escalation from local rallies and road blockades in previous days. It sought to address the farmers' "precarious market position," exacerbated by "indiscriminate border openings" by the EU, according to organizers.
Andrzej Gantner, Director General of the Polish Federation of Food Producers, criticized the EU's approach to food management.
"The EU made the mistake of opening the borders indiscriminately, treating the food sector in the EU as a uniform entity," he said. "What is good for Czechs is not necessarily good for Poles … We are an exporter, so anything that harms our competitiveness is difficult to accept."
Warsaw city authorities have warned of significant traffic disruptions, with major roads expected to be blocked as the demonstration progressed from Defilad Square in the center of the capital to the houses of parliament and the Prime Minister's Office further downtown past key city landmarks.
Meanwhile, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Czesław Siekierski said that there was a clear difference between providing humanitarian and economic aid to Ukraine. He underscored the need to protect the well-being of European farmers amid fluctuations on agricultural markets, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
“Polish farmers and others agree that it is necessary to help Ukraine," Siekierski said in a statement. "However, we must prevent a situation in which low and unstable prices of agricultural products undermine the economic and financial stability of farmers in Poland and other countries as a result of the influx of competitively priced goods."
The protest was expected to peak at around 3 p.m. as Polish farmers intensify their fight against EU agricultural policies.
(jh/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP
Click on the audio player above for a report by Radio Poland's Michał Owczarek.