Unions have appealed to farmers to intensify protests after talks with Agriculture Minister Marek Sawicki ended in stalemate, Wednesday.

“We will not talk with these traitors, as there is nothing to discuss,” Sławomir Izdebski, the head of the All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions (OPZZ) said, after leaving the ministry around 45 minutes into a meeting with Minister Sawicki in Warsaw.

Farmers are demanding compensation for damage caused by wild boars, and a government intervention in the milk and pork market.

However talks quickly reached a stalemate, with OPZZ leaders storming out of the ministry on Wednesday.

"In a few days, 100,000 people will be standing in Warsaw and will not leave until this inhuman, anti-farming, and anti-Polish government goes away. This government of traitors must just go away,” Izdebski said.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of farmers descended onto the Polish capital in their tractors and blocked many of the major arteries leading in and out of the city.

The protests are “incomprehensible” said Labour Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.

“The agriculture minister meets with all sorts of unions, almost every day. Every day he presents what has been carried out, discusses the common agricultural policy, issues like subsidies.

"It is unfortunate that these protests disrupt the achievements and the position of Polish agriculture, also in the eyes of Polish citizens and Polish consumers,” Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz told Polish Radio. (rg)

Source: TVN24, Polish Radio