Poland | Increased security measures on border with Belarus

Defence Redefined

Published on 24/08/2021 at 13:27

The Polish government, as well as Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, directly accuse Belarus of pushing immigrants from the Middle East and Asia across the borders to exert pressure on the European Union over sanctions against the Lukashenko government.

According to a Euronews report, since the beginning of the year, 4,000 immigrants have crossed the border, while in August alone, 2,000 people were registered as asylum seekers. So far the security authorities are repelling the flows that reach the border, while some are being transported to immigrant reception centers. Land and air patrols carried out by the police and the army are being added to the measures, while the government has also announced the construction of a 2.5-meter-high fence. At the same time, due to the situation, a number of immigrants remain across the border with inadequate means, while various NGOs are reacting.

Speaking to Euronews, Polish Deputy Interior Minister Bartosz Grodetski stressed the need to protect Europe’s borders: “We plan to improve specific procedures that will speed up the asylum application process,” he said. “As a Member State of the Union, we must live up to our obligations, namely to protect the borders of Poland and the external borders of the Union. Our neighbors in Lithuania and Latvia are doing the same.”

On the contrary, the Polish ombudsman stated that these measures are against international law, the European acquis and the state constitution.

Source: Euronews

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