Mateusz Morawiecki – television speech on September 12. What was it about?

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki In his speech on Tuesday, he said that “the Council of Ministers made an important decision today regarding our country’s food security.

– After September 15, Poland will maintain a total ban on imports of Ukrainian grain. This embargo will continue to apply. We will not allow Ukrainian grain to destabilize the Polish countryside, said the head of government.

He said that “the interests of Polish farmers, Polish countryside, but also millions of Polish consumers will always be in the first place for the Law and Justice government.”

– When Putin’s Russia brutally attacked Ukraine, we acted appropriately. We all rose to the challenge. We passed the solidarity test. Polish families from cities, towns and villages opened their hearts and the doors to their homes to welcome women and children fleeing from Russian terror – recalled the Prime Minister.

He assessed that “Poles have done more for Ukraine than anyone else in Europe – humanitarianly, militarily and politically.” – Once again, because it is never enough, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this wonderful impulse of the heart and this great gesture of solidarity with all your compatriots – added Morawiecki.

In his speech, the Prime Minister said that “the decision of the European Commission opened the door to the import of food products from Ukraine, which then resulted in the outbreak of an agricultural crisis in Europe, which especially affected border countries such as Poland.”

– What was supposed to be only a transit to third countries that needed it more, turned out to be a mechanism that allowed countries such as Poland to be flooded with cheaper Ukrainian grain. Unfortunately, there were companies in Poland that wanted to make money on Ukrainian grain at all costs and were not interested in the situation of Polish farmers, said Morawiecki.

He added that “for a long time European Union did not want to see the problem of imported grain from Ukraine.” – Unable to wait for an appropriate reaction from Brussels, in mid-April, we ourselves – protecting the interests of the Polish countryside – decided to ban the import of Ukrainian grain to Poland. We built – together with Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria – a coalition of five countries that also struggled with a problem similar to ours. Only then European Commission took a favorable position to protect the Polish market against grain imports from Ukraine. It is our pressure that resulted in an embargo in Poland, i.e. a ban on the import of Ukrainian grain, said the head of government.

– But in exactly three days, on September 15, the EU ban on importing, among others, grain from Ukraine to Poland will expire. For over two months, our government, in cooperation with the Polish Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Janusz Wojciechowski, has been doing everything to extend this embargo. So far, the European bureaucracy has not made a decision, said the Prime Minister.

– We are one of the largest grain producers in Europe. We will not allow Polish agriculture, one of the leading sectors of the Polish economy, to be destroyed by anyone or to be destroyed by the negligence of Brussels bureaucrats, said the head of government.

– We know perfectly well that large international agricultural business and oligarchs want to make money at the expense of Polish farmers. We will not allow this, we do not consent to it, said the Prime Minister.

– Export and transit to Africa and Asia – yes. Disruption of the Polish market – no. We will protect Polish grain producers regardless of what decision the European Commission makes. We, unlike our predecessors, do not hesitate to say “stop” to Brussels. We do not wait for the consent of Berlin and Brussels officials when it comes to defending Polish interests, protecting the safety of Polish families and the future of Polish farmers, emphasized Mateusz Morawiecki.

He added that the government’s decision taken on Tuesday “has primarily one goal: to secure the interests of the Polish countryside, but also to secure the interests of European agriculture.”

– Ukraine must understand that Poland’s security is as important as its security, and the most important thing for us. Russia, not Polish farmers, must pay for this war. As long as PiS rules, we will protect the Polish countryside from every threat. The PiS government has always and will continue to protect national interests, regardless of who threatens them, emphasized the Prime Minister.

– After September 15, Poland will maintain a strong and full embargo on Ukrainian grain. We will not allow Ukrainian grain to destabilize the Polish countryside. We defend the interests of the Polish farmer and protect the Polish countryside, said the head of government.