The Regional Prosecutor's Office in Rzeszow has been investigating the scandal involving imports of grain from Ukraine to Poland in 2022-2023 for 18 months, the media outlet said.

The investigation focused on abuses related to imports of grain which was declared as technical but in reality intended for food, it said. Charges were brought against 19 people, it said.

"At present, initial proceedings in this case covers 70 materials regarding the individuals who imported agricultural products from Ukraine, for instance wheat, rapeseed, corn, soybeans and others, intended for technical purposes," prosecutor Dorota Sokolowska-Mach said.

Four suspects were banned from leaving the country. They are under police surveillance. A bail bond was also placed on their property. A bail bond was placed on the property of another four suspects for future penalties including fines and an equivalent confiscation of property.

Proceedings in cases of four individuals were completed, the prosecutor's office said. Sentences were handed down to two people.

"However, these are not harsh sentences, because they amount to [...] 4,000 zloty and 6,000 zloty. Those sentenced also must compensate the legal costs. The sum of penalties is completely symbolic given the scale of the crime we are dealing with.

"Farmers who were unable to sell their grain due to supplies of Ukrainian grain and abuses committed by companies importing these goods may be disappointed," the media outlet said.

It was reported earlier that in November 2023, the Polish Agriculture Ministry published on its website a 62-page list of companies importing grain from Ukraine. Representatives of the Polish grain market criticized the ministry's decision.

An anonymous list of about 500 Polish companies which imported grain from Ukraine appeared on the Internet in late February. The Polish Agriculture Ministry decided to delete its list from its official website. ■