In Poland they have already begun to link the situation around Ukrainian grain to the conditions for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, at least in terms of agriculture. However, Kiev insists that the ban on grain imports is unlawful.
This was stated by Deputy Minister of Economy – Trade Representative of Ukraine Taras Kachka.
In this way he commented on the latest statements by Polish Minister of Agriculture Robert Telus.
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Kaczka compared Warsaw's position to liberum veto, the principle of decision-making during the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. We are talking about the right of any member of the Sejm of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to cancel his decision with his protest.
– Finally, Poland told the truth regarding Ukrainian grain. We are not talking about this season, but about the conditions for Ukraine’s accession to the EU… Therefore, our opening negotiations on agriculture have actually already begun with such aggressive military reconnaissance and complete antagonism on the part of Poland. In fact, Poland is fighting for a liberum veto on Ukraine without any explanation, — emphasized the trade representative.
Kachka clarified that this position was “very clearly stated by the Minister of Agrarian Policy Telus.”
The Trade Representative assured that Ukraine will insist to the end that Poland’s actions regarding Ukrainian grain “ ;wrong, illegal and harmful for Polish, Ukrainian and all EU farmers”.
What Minister Telus said
In recent days, Polish Agriculture Minister Robert Telus has made a number of loud statements regarding grain from Ukraine.
On September 13, he announced that he was expecting a decision from the European Commission to extend the ban on the import of four types of agricultural products from Ukraine at least until the end of the year.
Telus added that even this will not be enough for Warsaw. According to the Polish minister, the grain embargo should remain in effect “at least until all issues in the field of agriculture are agreed upon between the EU and Ukraine”, in particular in the context of our state’s accession to the European Union.
That is, Telus advocated an indefinite embargo and tied it to the conditions of Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
– “Under current conditions, Ukraine cannot join the European Union, since this will harm Polish agriculture,” Telus noted.
He added that it is necessary to create mechanisms under which Ukrainian grain will flow to the countries of Asia and Africa, where it is needed, and will not remain in Europe.
And on September 14, Robert Telus said that Ukrainian agriculture allegedly “is a threat to the agriculture of neighboring countries and all of Europe.” The minister assured that Poland supports our state’s accession to the European Union, but “under certain conditions.”
– Ukraine cannot join the EU without conditions. We had conditions, and the same should apply to Ukraine, — Telus reported in a comment to the Polish agency PAP.
As you know, September 15 is the last day of the EU embargo on the import of Ukrainian grains into five countries: Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.
< p>The ban introduced in early May applies to the import of sunflower seeds, corn, rapeseed and wheat.
Poland has already announced that they will not resume the import of Ukrainian grain, regardless of the further decision of the European Commission.
And the Ukrainian government warned that if Poland blocks imports, Ukraine will apply to arbitration of the World Trade Organization (WTO) for compensation for losses.
