Tensions rise on Polish-Belarusian border due to arrival of new migrants
Tensions are growing on the border between Belarus and Poland amid an increase in the number of migrants trying to enter the EU.
According to Ukrinform, this was reported by Reuters.
As noted, Poland and the EU have accused Belarus and Russia of trying to spread chaos by pushing migrants across the border since 2021. At the same time, Minsk and Moscow have denied all accusations.
According to the Polish government, the number of people arriving at the border has been increasing recently. As a result of the migrants' actions, a border guard died on 28 May after being injured during clashes with them.
In this regard, the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk wants to create a special zone at the border to limit the actions of migrants.
"Unfortunately, this border is not safe. The purpose of this zone is to ensure that no one is subjected to similar attacks as Polish soldiers," Deputy Defence Minister Pawel Zalewski told Reuters.
Under current arrangements, migrants can apply for asylum in EU member Poland when they are on Polish soil.
The no-go zone, when implemented, will make life even more difficult for migrants, said Agata Kliuchevska, who runs a local migrant support group.
She said any return to more restrictive measures could leave even more people on the Belarusian side and force volunteers like her to return to the days when they had to help migrants in secret.
As reported, the Polish government has decided to send additional forces to the border with Belarus after several incidents in which illegal migrants injured soldiers and border guards.
Every day, several hundred people from the Middle East and North Africa try to illegally enter Poland from Belarus.
Donald Tusk has stated that there is a Russian trace in the migration pressure on the Polish-Belarusian border: more than 90% of people crossing the border illegally have a Russian visa.
In 2022, Poland built a 5.5 m high and 186 km long fence on the border with Belarus and installed a modern electronic monitoring system in response to the artificial migration pressure created by Belarus and Russia on the border of Belarus with Poland and the Baltic states since the summer of 2021. A decision was recently made to modernise this fence.
In addition, Warsaw will build fortifications, detection and warning systems, advanced bases, logistics hubs, and drone countermeasures on the border with Russia and Belarus by 2028 as part of the large-scale Shield East programme.