Several dozen farmers from Andrzej Lepper’s Self-Defence party blocked a major road from Warsaw to Wroclaw for an hour on Monday.

"The protest was not to make life harder for drivers," said former vice PM Lepper, but to "galvanise the nation to fight for its rights".

The protesters from the farmers based union and political party demanded that the government put a stop to increasing food and fuel prices and guarantee an increase in retirement pensions to a level similar to that in the countries of the "old EU".

According to Lepper, living conditions should be the same for all EU citizens - a Polish farmer should get the same subsidies as a farmer in Germany.

He also thinks that the government should lower the excise duty on fuel.

Lepper announced that this is the beginning of a new round farmers' protests on roads.

Andrzej Lepper began his political career by organising road blocks and protests such as these, for which he was taken to court more than once. The former Minister of Agriculture and deputy PM - who lost his seat along with all members of the Self Defence party at the last election - is also charged with taking sexual advantage of two of his female party subordinates. (mo)