Poland faces new migration pressure at border with Belarus

According to the European news network Euractiv.com on September 27, the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border is becoming increasingly serious, especially regarding the issue of migration. Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said that since mid-2021, Poland has witnessed a significant increase in the number of migrants from Africa and the Middle East trying to cross the border to seek asylum, and the peak of this pressure occurred in 2024.

Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz announced that after a relatively quiet summer, the situation at the border became more tense in September. The number of illegal border crossings increased by more than 2,500 cases this month, bringing the total number of border violations to more than 26,000 in the first nine months of 2024. This figure is equivalent to the total number of illegal border crossings in the whole of last year. Notably, human trafficking organizations have taken advantage of the situation, guiding migrants to cross the border.

Poland's defense minister stressed that the country would not tolerate violations of the law, warning that "the migration issue not only threatens national security but also concerns Belarus and possibly Russia."

In this context, the Polish government led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk has taken a tougher stance on immigration than before. Prime Minister Tusk has implemented a number of measures to strengthen border controls. He has stated that it is the state's duty to protect the country's borders by any means necessary.

In July, Mr Tusk established a special border zone to strengthen the fight against human trafficking and to support border guards in managing essential border services. The current government has also introduced tougher measures, including the creation of no-go zones to control migration.

However, Poland's above policy still faces much criticism from human rights organizations.