“We can clearly see that scenarios which threaten our sovereignty and the safety of the Polish state are being written in Moscow and in Minsk,” emphasised Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki while speaking in the Sejm.

The Head of the Polish Government stressed that what is happening at the eastern border of the European Union is a large-scale political provocation.
“This provocation involves an attempt to push tens of thousands of illegal migrants into Poland,” said the Prime Minister. “To us, guarding the border is a fundamental duty, which we intend to fulfil and observe through any and all efforts and means,” he added.

State of emergency near the border with Belarus 

The Polish Government and authorities are constantly monitoring and analysing the situation at our eastern border. We are also taking adequate measures to ensure the safety of our citizens. On of these measures is the declaration of a state of emergency.

The Government’s goal is to make sure that Polish officers can act and perform their duties freely, while the disturbance in the life of border region residents is minimal.

The state of emergency has been declared for 30 days. It covers 115 towns and villages in the Podlaskie Voivodeship and 68 in the Lubelskie Voivodeship. This means an approx. 3-km-long strip along the border with Belarus. The steps have met with understanding and support on the part of local government authorities. This is very important, as we are taking them solely in the interest of safety of our citizens, especially the residents of the border regions.

The following rules have been introduced:

• suspension of the right to organise public gatherings within the area covered by the state of emergency,
• suspension of the right to organise mass events, artistic events and entertainment events,
• obligation to have an identity card or another identity document upon one’s person at all times,
• prohibition to stay within the area covered by the state of the emergency, effective 24 hours a day with exceptions provided for in regulations (does not apply to, among others, permanent residents of the area),
• prohibition to capture, record or photograph structures and areas encompassing the border infrastructure, including the images of Border Guard officers, Police officers and soldiers,
• limitation of access to public information concerning the activities undertaken within the area covered by the state of emergency related to protection of state borders and prevention of illegal migration.

Difficult situation at the border with Belarus

The situation at the border with Belarus is critical and tense. Alexander Lukashenko’s regime is playing an instrumental game at the cost of immigrants. According to estimates, approx. 10 thousand Iraqi citizens have been brought to Minsk over the last few weeks.

Only since the beginning of August, approx. 4 thousand people have tried to illegally enter the territory of Poland and the European Union. The Polish Government is responsible not only for our citizens and the safety of our country. The border between Poland and Belarus is the external border of the European Union, which we must protect in accordance with our obligations towards our allies. Its breach would cause hundreds of thousands of migrants to enter the European Union.