Polish farmers block roads to protest Ukraine imports

Warsaw: Polish farmers on Wednesday staged tractor blockades on roads nationwide in their latest protest against farm imports from outside the Europea...

Warsaw: Polish farmers on Wednesday staged tractor blockades on roads nationwide in their latest protest against farm imports from outside the European Union and the bloc's environmental red tape.

The farmers have been blocking border crossings with Ukraine since last month to protest at what they say is unfair competition from goods entering from neighbouring war-torn Ukraine.

This week they expanded their protests to the western border with Germany.

Earlier this month they held a demonstration in the capital Warsaw attended by thousands that devolved into clashes with the police, with over two dozen people detained.

"Throughout the country today more than 580 protests are planned, with nearly 70,000 people estimated to take part," Polish police said in a statement.