Lithuanian, Polish agriculture ministers to discuss farmers' protests

VILNIUS – Lithuanian Agriculture Minister Kestutis Navickas and his Polish counterpart Czeslaw Siekierski are meeting via video link on Friday to discuss the situation at the border and Polish farmers' demands. 

The meeting comes as Polish farmers are planning to partially block a key road on the Lithuanian-Polish border for a week from Friday after failing to reach an agreement with Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Thursday evening.

Navickas said on Thursday that Lithuanian officials had held intensive talks with Polish officials and protesters throughout the week.

Polish farmers fear that some Ukrainian grain from Lithuania is returning to Poland. The blockade is expected to last about a week.

Polish farmers are also blocking border crossings and motorways with Ukraine in protest against what they say is unfair competition from goods entering the Polish market from its war-torn eastern neighbor.