Sirens from police, fire service and border guard vehicles wailed out across Poland on Wednesday at noon in honor of a soldier knifed to death on the border with Belarus, an incident which sparked criticism of the government’s handling of security.
An official farewell ceremony for the soldier was held in Nowy Lubiel, central Poland.
On behalf of the family, the military had requested that the public respect their grief by avoiding the family’s residence and not attending or documenting the vigil and funeral ceremony.
He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant in the Polish Army and awarded the “Golden Medal for Merit in National Defense.”
Following the attack, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced a 200-meter-wide exclusion zone along his country’s border with Belarus amid ongoing attempts by migrants to cross into Poland.
Officials in Warsaw and Brussels have accused Minsk of orchestrating a spike in illegal crossings to put pressure on Poland and destabilize the EU.
On behalf of the family, the military had requested that the public respect their grief by avoiding the family’s residence and not attending or documenting the vigil and funeral ceremony.
The 21-year-old soldier was stabbed in the chest by a migrant at the end of May. Despite the aid provided at the site and the efforts of doctors, his life could not be saved.W samo południe policjanci z Garnizonu Stołecznego oddali hołd śp. sierżantowi Mateuszowi Sitkowi, żołnierzowi WP, który złożył najwyższą ofiarę w obronie granicy RP. Cześć jego pamięci! pic.twitter.com/3bZGC2PiME
— Policja Warszawa (@Policja_KSP) June 12, 2024
He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant in the Polish Army and awarded the “Golden Medal for Merit in National Defense.”
Following the attack, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced a 200-meter-wide exclusion zone along his country’s border with Belarus amid ongoing attempts by migrants to cross into Poland.
Officials in Warsaw and Brussels have accused Minsk of orchestrating a spike in illegal crossings to put pressure on Poland and destabilize the EU.
Source: TVP World, PAP
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