Since midday, the S3 expressway between Szczecin and Pyrzyce has been completely blocked. Farmers have launched a round-the-clock, indefinite protest which – as they announce – will end only when their demands are taken seriously by the government of Donald Tusk. At the center of the conflict is the EU trade agreement with Mercosur countries, which is increasingly opposed by Polish food producers.
The protest began on Monday at 12:00 at the Gardno junction in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. After the area had been secured by the police, tractors and other agricultural vehicles entered the road, effectively blocking traffic in both directions.
The disruption affects one of the most important transport routes leading to the Baltic Sea. The S3 connects Świnoujście with the south of the country and is used daily by thousands of drivers, while the start of the holiday season makes traffic particularly heavy at the moment.
According to the protesters, the blockade is indefinite and will continue 24 hours a day.
Farmers: “Enough ignoring our problems”
The organizers of the protest emphasize that their actions are the result of months of growing problems in the agricultural sector. Among their key demands they list limiting the inflow of agri-food products from Ukraine, reducing bureaucracy, and improving the profitability of production.
The most emotional issue, however, is the trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur countries, a bloc that includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Farmers argue that opening the European market to cheaper food from outside the EU could lead to a further decline in farm-gate prices and worsen the situation of agricultural holdings. In their view, the government of Donald Tusk is not taking sufficiently decisive action to block solutions that – as they claim – harm Polish agriculture.
The protesters directly accuse the authorities of agreeing to solutions that increase competition from producers outside the European Union, while European farmers must comply with increasingly strict environmental and administrative standards.
Among the participants, there is a widespread belief that politicians do not understand the scale of the problems faced by the Polish countryside today. Hence the increasingly radical form of protests and announcements of further escalation.
They want talks with the prime minister
Farmers declare that they do not intend to end the blockade after one day. According to participants, the action will continue until real talks are held with representatives of the government.
Some protesters openly state that they expect the arrival of Prime Minister Donald Tusk and a direct discussion about the future of Polish agriculture.
Drivers stuck in traffic jams. Appeal to avoid the region
The effects of the protest are already being felt by drivers traveling through West Pomerania. Traffic is being diverted onto local roads that are not adapted to handle such heavy volumes.
This means kilometers-long traffic jams, extended travel times, and disruptions for both local residents and tourists heading to the seaside.
The situation was also warned about by TV Republika journalist Tomasz Duklanowski. As he wrote on social media, travel to Szczecin, Świnoujście, and Międzyzdroje should be avoided today. He noted that the 24-hour blockade of S3 could lead to a “transportation armageddon”, and the protesters are announcing that they will continue the action until talks are held with the Minister of Agriculture. Duklanowski also stressed that one of the main demands is limiting food imports from Ukraine and Mercosur countries.
Start of the holiday season marked by protests
The timing of the blockade is not accidental. The protest began at a time when traffic on routes leading to the Baltic Sea is clearly increasing. This makes the impact of the action particularly severe for drivers.
If the protest lasts longer, the region may face serious transport problems for several more days. For now, it is not known when the blockade will end, and the farmers do not hide that they are ready for a long-term protest until their demands are heard.