Poland in Libya

The situation along the Polish-Belarusian border remains tense. The beginning of the new year have shown that the Lukashenko regime continues its aggressive hybrid operation against Poland and the EU. Further attempts to cross the border illegally are reported every day. During these attempts Polish officers and soldiers are attacked by aggressive groups of migrants, supported by the Belarusian services.

A decrease in the number of illegal attempts to cross the Polish-Belarusian border - compared to the second half of 2021 - does not, in spite of appearances, mean a calming of the situation. The migrant groups trying to force the border are now less numerous but even more aggressive. Foreigners are still brought by the Belarusian side to the border, where, with the support of the Belarusian services, they attack Polish officers and soldiers and destroy border protections. Tree branches, stones, bricks, sharp light and laser beams are directed at Polish patrols. In addition, the Belarusian services - as before - are carrying out other numerous activities aimed at provoking the Polish border defenders or weakening morale among them.

Migrants are provided with instructions on where and how to enter the territory of the Republic of Poland. The Belarusian officers are constantly monitoring the situation on the Polish side, searching for new ways to cross the border illegally which they want to use to push foreigners to Poland.

The border events are accompanied by aggressive information activities aimed at proving that Poland is responsible for creating the migration crisis, and that Polish border defenders pose a threat to the security of the entire region.

The use of migrants as weapons by the regime of A. Lukashenko is only an element of a wider plan. The aim is to create divisions among NATO and EU states and societies and deepen them later on.

More and more information shows that the Russian citizens, including Chechen origin, are involved in the migration route’s issue –  which was organized by the Lukashenko regime in order to destabilize the EU and NATO. Lukashenko himself spoke about it in interview on regime TV. He added that it was the Russians and the Chechens who provided transportation services for the hybrid operation organized by Minsk. During his interview with regime media, Lukashenko called them ‘the guides’. From the very beginning of the hybrid operation against Poland, Russia’s involvement in it was obvious. The actions of the Belarusian services against NATO countries are part of Russia's long-term policy against the West.

There is no indication that the situation on Poland's eastern border will calm down in the near future. The actions of the Belarusian regime make it impossible to lose vigilance even for a moment. The fact that the border remains tight and secure is due to the determination and hard work of the Border Guard, the Police and the soldiers of the Polish Army.

 

RECENT BORDER INCIDENTS:

• From the beginning of January to January 17, there were 546 attempts to cross the border recorded by the Polish Border Guard.
• 11.01.2022 – 68 attempts to cross the Belarusian-Polish border illegally in the vicinity of Mielnik recorded. There were 2 groups of foreigners attempting to cross the border. The first group – 18 foreigners (10 Iraqi citizens and 8 Syrians) tried to cut the border fence. The second group of 15 Iraqis was seen by perceived by the Polish patrol. All Foreigners were stopped and returned to the border line.  
• 11.01.2022 – Incidents provoked by the Belarusian services in the vicinity of Dubicze Cerkiewne, where Polish officers were blinded with lasers form the car, and in the vicinity of Lipsk, where the border fence was cut.
• 12.01.2022 – 4 citizens of Georgia were detained in the vicinity of Cisówka for helping to organize the illegal border crossing by a group of 11 illegal migrants (6 Syrians and 5 Iraqis) who were supposed to be transported to Germany. After the illegal crossing of the Belarusian-Polish border, the foreigners waited at the agreed place. From the beginning of the year, 11 people have been detained for helping to organize illegal border crossing. In last 2021 – 415 people. Most of them are citizens of Ukraine and Georgia.
• 14.01.2022 – A 28-year-old citizen of Syria, detained on January 11 by the Polish Border Guard in the vicinity of Michałów, whose fate was of interest to activists, categorically refused to apply for international protection in Poland. In her statement she wrote that she wanted to reach Germany Illegally via Poland and that she wanted to return to Belarus.
• 14.01.2022 – a group of 54 foreigners attempted to cross the border illegally, including a group of 31 men, citizens of Iran.
• 15.01.2022 – an attempt to cross the border illegally by a group of 47.
• 16.01.2022 – a group of 38 foreigners attempted to cross the border illegally.
• 16/17.01.2022 – a group of 34 foreigners (citizens of Syria, Iraq, Turkey and Egypt) attempted to forcibly cross the border in the vicinity of Czeremcha. Attempts to cross the Belarusian-Polish border took place also in the vicinity of Dubicze Cerkiewne and Mielnik. Stones were thrown at the Polish patrols by foreigners and officers of the Belarusian services.

Last year (2021), the Polish Border Guard entrusted the care of 296 foreigners detained on the Belarusian-Polish border who had contraindications to stay in guarded centers to the Dialog Foundation. They were mainly citizens of Syria (166) and citizens of Iraq (96). Currently, there are 14 people staying there. From the whole group only one person waited for the proceedings to end, and obtained a tolerated stay permit in Poland. The remaining 281 have arbitrarily moved away from the places indicated by the court and probably fled to other Western European countries. The Polish Border Guards incurred costs related to their stay in the territory of Poland (accommodation, medical and psychological care, food, clothes, etc.).

To follow up-to-date information on the situation on the Polish-Belarussian border, we encourage you to visit:

• the special website: https://www.gov.pl/web/border;
• a special English-language coverage of the migrant crisis on the Polish-Belarusian border, entitled "Focus on the Border",  lunched by the public broadcaster Radio Poland: https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/9610.

 

DIPLOMATIC ACTIONS UNDERTAKEN BY POLAND’s OFFICIALS:

• 17 January - During the phone call Polish PM M. Morawiecki and Estonian PM K. Kallas discussed bilateral cooperation, the situation in Eastern Europe and security in the region.
• 17 January - The Polish FM Zbigniew Rau and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken spoke on the phone about the security situation in Europe and the tensions with Russia over Ukraine. They  agreed that while remaining open to further talks with Russia, we should be prepared for different scenarios. They also discussed possible response steps should the crisis escalate.
• 17 January - The second rotation of the  Estonian soldiers begins service at the Polish - Belarussian border. The allies support the activities of the Polish soldiers in the construction of a temporary fence & reconstruction of roads near the border.
• 13 January - OSCE Chairman-in-Office Zbigniew Rau presents Programme of the Polish OSCE Chairmanship 2022. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of the mechanisms and formats developed by the OSCE for supporting peace processes relating to regional and protracted conflicts: “we need to reinvigorate the debate about European security (…) I am fully committed to advancing this goal”.
• 13 January – During the informal meeting of Foreign Ministers of the EU in Brest, the first joint working session with Defence Ministers of the EU was held with the participation of dep. FM Marcin Przydacz. Ministers discussed the security situation in Eastern Europe, particularly in Ukraine and Belarus.

The diplomatic actions taken by Poland have been successful – at present, much fewer migrants are arriving in Belarus comparing to the previous period, although the situation at the Polish-Belarusian border remains difficult and tense.

 

17 January 2022