NEWS

23/05/2018

12:39

WKK:

We Demand Minister Jurgiel's Immediate Resignation. I Have Sent a Letter to the Prime Minister

Michał Olech

WKK: We Demand Minister Jurgiel's Immediate Resignation. I Have Sent a Letter to the Prime Minister - Today in Warsaw, the protest of Polish farmers, Polish agriculturists, is ongoing. Today, this protest, which is taking place, is an expression of concern, bitterness, and immense worries present in Polish agriculture. Farmers, here in Warsaw, but also in many places across Poland, have been demanding changes in the Ministry of Agriculture and actions regarding ASF (African Swine Fever) for many weeks... It is unacceptable that Minister Jurgiel is unable to take actions that would in any way protect Polish farmers from this disease, which poses an unprecedented threat to the functioning of farms, leading to their liquidation, and sometimes the lifetime achievement of farmers. This is a threat to the Polish economy. This is the first thing farmers tell us at meetings. The second issue is employment in agriculture, difficulties in hiring workers to help in the fields, during harvests. This particularly affects Polish fruit growers. Another matter is the failure to implement the demands announced during the campaign. There are no equalized direct payments, no doubled payments, no guaranteed minimum prices, no resolved issue of game damage, and no reduced retirement age. Instead, there is the involvement of village heads in assessing game damage, which is unfeasible, as village heads are not carrying this out today. The problem of gigantic damages and their assessment in Poland has not been solved. Regarding issues related to the EU, Minister Jurgiel's passivity, lack of a firm stance – everything indicates that the funds that will go to Polish agriculture in the new perspective will be much, much lower than what the government, with the participation of PSL, guaranteed – stated Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz at a briefing. - We demand the immediate resignation of Minister Jurgiel, the resignation of a pest to the Polish countryside, the resignation of a minister who for over two years has been unable to meet challenges and solve the problems of the Polish countryside. He has no capacity for this, he does not engage in dialogue, he does not talk, he is not willing to cooperate. We have extended a hand for cooperation, but it has always been rejected. Today, on behalf of the PSL, I have sent a letter to Prime Minister Morawiecki – added the leader of the PSL. He emphasized that he counts on the Prime Minister making such a decision and requesting the President to accept the resignation.

Michał Olech