Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said Poland’s security services prevents 98% of illegal border crossings from Belarus and is highly successful in detaining migrant smugglers.
Since 2021, thousands of migrants from the middle east and Africa have crossed the Belarusian border into the European Union via Poland, Lithuania and Latvia in what Warsaw has called a “hybrid attack” orchestrated by leader Alexander Lukashenko at the behest of the Kremlin.
On Saturday, Tusk, along with Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz and Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak visited the northeastern village of Ozierany Małe on the Polish-Belarusian border.
“We’ve achieved a 98 percent success rate in prevention, meaning that 98 [out of 100] illegal border crossing attempts are being prevented thanks to the determination of our soldiers, border officers and police,” he told reporters after a briefing with commanders of uniformed services operating on the border.
Tusk said he had received a report confirming “at least organizational and political patronage” over the migratory pressure at the border, allegedly fueled by the Belarusian government. Warsaw is also aware of Moscow’s involvement, he added.
“We’re dealing with both a state-run operation and a smuggling network,” the prime minister said.
While thousands of people have been blocked from entering by security services, a significant number have also managed to evade the security services, cross the border and claim asylum in countries such as Germany aided by smugglers.
Last year, there was a 192% increase in attempts to cross the EU’s border from Belarus and Ukraine or approximately 17,000 people, data from the EU’s border guard agency Frontex shows. The majority were from Ukraine, Ethiopia and Somalia. The figures bucked the bloc’s trend, as most other areas saw a fall in attempted crossings.
On Saturday, Tusk, along with Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz and Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak visited the northeastern village of Ozierany Małe on the Polish-Belarusian border.
“We’ve achieved a 98 percent success rate in prevention, meaning that 98 [out of 100] illegal border crossing attempts are being prevented thanks to the determination of our soldiers, border officers and police,” he told reporters after a briefing with commanders of uniformed services operating on the border.
Tusk said he had received a report confirming “at least organizational and political patronage” over the migratory pressure at the border, allegedly fueled by the Belarusian government. Warsaw is also aware of Moscow’s involvement, he added.
“We’re dealing with both a state-run operation and a smuggling network,” the prime minister said.
While thousands of people have been blocked from entering by security services, a significant number have also managed to evade the security services, cross the border and claim asylum in countries such as Germany aided by smugglers.
Last year, there was a 192% increase in attempts to cross the EU’s border from Belarus and Ukraine or approximately 17,000 people, data from the EU’s border guard agency Frontex shows. The majority were from Ukraine, Ethiopia and Somalia. The figures bucked the bloc’s trend, as most other areas saw a fall in attempted crossings.
East Shield prioritized
Earlier this week, Polish politicians agreed to strengthen the country’s security and prioritizes the multi-billion-zloty Shield East project, which creates a complex of fortifications along Poland’s borders with Belarus and Russia. The European Union included Shield East in its new European Defense plans, published earlier this week.
Tusk said the Polish government is pushing the European Union to treat the Polish-Belarusian border as a joint responsibility.
“We have another confirmation that both the Shield East [...] and the protection of the border against illegal crossings, is a common European obligation under NATO, but above all a European one,” he said. “This is related to the financing of [...] the infrastructure protecting this border.”
He added that there was a national consensus on border protection and that anyone facilitating illegal border crossing is “involved in a very hideous procedure and undermines the security of the Polish border.”
“Therefore, the government, the army and the Border Guard will act very tough here,” he said.
Poland has deployed around 6,000 soldiers to the 247-kilometer-longer border with Belarus to monitor the area. Last June, a Polish soldier died after being stabbed by a migrant.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said that “the key to success” is the cooperation of the Polish Army with the border officers and police, as well as the government.
“The issue of the East Shield and a safe border is Poland’s national interest,” he said.
Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said according to a decision made by the European Commission in December 2024, Poland is set to receive €52 million from the EU to tighten the border with Belarus and Russia.
“This will be used to build an asphalt road along the border, purchase drones and other ICT devices,” he added.
The minister also said action will be taken “so that on rivers, watercourses, water reservoirs and wetlands there are no situations at risk of illegal migrants crossing.”
“This is a priority for the Ministry of Interior and Administration,” he added.
Poland is waiting for President Andrzej Duda to sign the asylum suspension law, which has the backing of EU leaders. Approved by parliament in February, this law, if enacted, would allow Warsaw to temporarily suspend the right to asylum and limit the ability to request international protection.
Applications for asylum will only be approved after a review by the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, as well as the Ministerial Committee. These restrictions will be temporary and cannot be enforced for more than 60 days.
Human rights organizations have criticized the move and Poland’s use of “push backs” which do not allow migrants to apply for asylum before being sent back to Belarusian territory. Last year, 13,600 were documented, the third highest in the EU. NGOs believe as many as 87 people have died along the eastern border since 2021.
Tusk said the Polish government is pushing the European Union to treat the Polish-Belarusian border as a joint responsibility.
“We have another confirmation that both the Shield East [...] and the protection of the border against illegal crossings, is a common European obligation under NATO, but above all a European one,” he said. “This is related to the financing of [...] the infrastructure protecting this border.”
He added that there was a national consensus on border protection and that anyone facilitating illegal border crossing is “involved in a very hideous procedure and undermines the security of the Polish border.”
“Therefore, the government, the army and the Border Guard will act very tough here,” he said.
Poland has deployed around 6,000 soldiers to the 247-kilometer-longer border with Belarus to monitor the area. Last June, a Polish soldier died after being stabbed by a migrant.
EU gives Poland €52 million for border security
Kosiniak-Kamysz said that “the key to success” is the cooperation of the Polish Army with the border officers and police, as well as the government.
“The issue of the East Shield and a safe border is Poland’s national interest,” he said.
Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said according to a decision made by the European Commission in December 2024, Poland is set to receive €52 million from the EU to tighten the border with Belarus and Russia.
“This will be used to build an asphalt road along the border, purchase drones and other ICT devices,” he added.
The minister also said action will be taken “so that on rivers, watercourses, water reservoirs and wetlands there are no situations at risk of illegal migrants crossing.”
“This is a priority for the Ministry of Interior and Administration,” he added.
Poland is waiting for President Andrzej Duda to sign the asylum suspension law, which has the backing of EU leaders. Approved by parliament in February, this law, if enacted, would allow Warsaw to temporarily suspend the right to asylum and limit the ability to request international protection.
Applications for asylum will only be approved after a review by the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, as well as the Ministerial Committee. These restrictions will be temporary and cannot be enforced for more than 60 days.
Human rights organizations have criticized the move and Poland’s use of “push backs” which do not allow migrants to apply for asylum before being sent back to Belarusian territory. Last year, 13,600 were documented, the third highest in the EU. NGOs believe as many as 87 people have died along the eastern border since 2021.
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