It is customary for the country assuming the Presidency of the Council of the European Union to invite representatives of major media outlets from across Europe to preview the key developments over the next six months. A group of dozens of journalists from all over Europe came to Poland for a couple of days to get to know and understand the Polish perspective on European affairs in person.

Transparency of the activities of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration and the authorities at the border with Belarus

Poland assumed the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 January, choosing “Security, Europe!” as the main theme of the upcoming six months with Poles at the helm. The security of our community requires commitment and action. One of the priorities entails securing the external borders of the European Union and regaining full control over migration.

The Ministry of the Interior and Administration invited journalists to the closed border crossing with Belarus in Połowce (Podlaskie Voivodeship). Each of the 60 media representatives from some of Europe's most influential media outlets had the opportunity to see what it is like to secure the borders of the European Union with their own eyes.

Deputy Minister Maciej Duszczyk, who is responsible for Poland’s migration policy, outlined the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border to journalists and explained why securing it is so important. The actions perpetrated by the Belarusian regime against Poland include using migration as a tool to destabilise the situation at the external borders of the European Union. This prompts us to protect our borders. The journalists had the opportunity to talk to Deputy Minister Maciej Duszczyk and the Border Guard officers responsible for border security in person. The meetings were also attended by representatives of the Police and the Polish Army supporting the Border Guard and its operations. 

Speaking to journalists, the Deputy Minister of the Interior and Administration noted the importance of the humanitarian dimension of Poland’s actions concerning migrants and transparency in the area of border protection. The Border Guard has search and rescue patrols ready to provide medical assistance to migrants who have crossed the border illegally. Media representatives from all over Europe saw the equipment used by the patrols and were familiarised with the intricacies of the process of dealing with migrants. The Border Guard demonstrated how the process of applying for international protection works, as well as how the migrants whose applications are being processed are taken care of. 

Secure Podlasie, secure Poland, secure Europe

Protecting the Polish border is directly linked to ensuring the security of Polish citizens and Europe as a whole. The Polish-Belarusian border is the external border of the European Union, NATO and the Schengen area, which means that its security is required to enable freedom of movement within the European Union and countering international crime. 

The Commander-in-Chief of the Border Guard, Major General Robert Bagan and commanders from the Podlaskie Voivodeship demonstrated the activities of the Border Guard and the challenges faced by officers on this particularly demanding section of the border. 

A group of journalists saw the border barrier and the upgrades that ensure its full security. The physical as well as electronic security upgrades were essential to making irregular border crossings more difficult. The visitors were also shown some of the tools used by migrants in their attempts to force their way across the border into Poland, included modified jacks and saw blades. 

During the visit, Deputy Minister Maciej Duszczyk answered questions from international journalists who were particularly interested in the high effectiveness of Polish security measures, the functioning of the buffer zoneand the assumptions of the Polish migration strategy. 

A secure Polish-Belarusian border also means a secure Podlaskie Voivodeship, whose tourism industry supports the local economy. The Bialowieża Primeval Forest and the cultural heritage of Podlasie are parts of the shared European heritage that attracts tourists from all over the continent.