Farmers in Poland have announced plans for a 24-hour blockade of the A2 motorway near the Świecko border crossing with Germany. The protest, set to begin at 1:00 PM on Sunday, February 25, and end at 1:00 PM the following Monday, is a significant escalation in the ongoing demonstrations demanding revisions to the European Union’s Green Deal and restrictions on the importation of agricultural goods from Ukraine.
Initially, the protest was to last nearly a month, but after negotiations, the organizers agreed to a one-day action. Approximately 1,500 individuals and hundreds of agricultural machines are expected to block all lanes of the E30 road, potentially disrupting traffic and trade between Poland and its major trading partners in the EU.
The decision to shorten the blockade comes after appeals from various stakeholders, including the “Transport and Logistics Poland” Employers’ Association, which highlighted the potential risks to the national economy and the livelihoods of other Polish entrepreneurs.
German farmers are reportedly planning a simultaneous blockade on the bridge at the Słubice border crossing, further complicating the situation. The German side expresses concern over the potential traffic chaos, especially as the A12 motorway (the continuation of Poland’s A2) is a vital route for transporting goods to Berlin and other parts of Germany.
Polish police have advised motorists to plan alternative routes. Heavy vehicles will be redirected towards the S3 expressway towards Zielona Góra to cross the border at Gubinek, while passenger vehicles on the A2 heading to Germany can use the Rzepin junction. However, the Świecko junction will be closed, with traffic diverted to roads K29 towards Krosno Odrzańskie and K31 towards Słubice and Kostrzyn nad Odrą.