Ukraine's agrarian potential is enough to "knock out" entire European market - Polish journalist Sierant

He expressed this opinion on the Espreso TV channel.

"It is important to understand one thing: when the Polish economy is experiencing difficulties, it will be more difficult to help Ukraine. Ukrainians should also remember this. The situation on the border must be resolved. However, it must be resolved in a way that will be beneficial to you and us. There is a problem, and it cannot be solved very quickly," explained Sierant.

According to Sierant, the EU was not ready for serious competition with Ukraine's agricultural business.

"If we compare the current situation to when Poland started supplying agricultural products to the EU 20 years ago, the conditions were a bit different then. Poland received limits on its sales of agricultural products to the EU. We could not sell more than the limit. The German labor market was also closed to Poland. So this is a normal procedure when a country joins the EU, your economy threatens other countries. This is actually a chance to reform the economy and create other industries. However, I would like to emphasize that no one thought that when Ukraine enters the EU market, it could "lay down" the markets not only in Poland but in the whole of Eastern Europe with its agricultural business. Moreover, if Ukraine tries hard enough, it can be the whole of Europe," he added.

• On September 24, Polish President Andrzej Duda said that his country had prepared transit corridors through which Ukraine could export its grain to countries in need. However, Warsaw does not lift its ban on the sale of agricultural products.
• On December 17, Polish Deputy Agriculture Minister Michał Kołodziejczak, who was elected to the Sejm on the list of Prime Minister Donald Tusk's Civic Coalition, said that Ukraine's agricultural market should be closed for 20 years after its accession to the EU.