Today (6 September), the Sejm adopted President Andrzej Duda's decree on the introduction of a state of emergency in the border zone with Belarus. The state of emergency was introduced for 30 days in parts of the Podlaskie and Lubelskie Voivodeships. The strip includes 115 towns in the Podlaskie Voivodeship and 68 towns in the Lubelskie Voivodeship. "Mr President hopes that both the reasons for issuing a decree on the state of emergency and its content will meet with the understanding and acceptance of the Members of Parliament," said Paweł Soloch, the Head of the National Security Bureau, during his speech in the Sejm.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and the Minister of the Interior and Administration, Mariusz Kamiński, argued in the Sejm about the necessity of introducing a state of emergency. At the beginning of his speech, the Prime Minister recalled President Lech Kaczyński’s words: ‘Today Georgia, tomorrow Ukraine, and later it may be time for my country.’ "These words, which could have been a warning not long ago, are a fact today. Today we see that in Moscow and Minsk, scenarios are being written out that threaten Poland's security," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki warned.

The Head of Government also explained that the Zapad 2021 military exercises, which are expected to involve more than 200,000 troops, will be conducted right across our border. "Imagine how easy then for provocation. This pattern of actions, which has been written into roles: attack on the Baltic States, attack on the Republic of Poland, is without precedent. It is not just a diplomatic conflict. This is an attempt to violate the integrity of the Polish state, the sovereignty of our borders, and we cannot and will not allow it," the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki stressed that the state border is not just a line on the map. "For us, protecting the Polish border, making sure that it is safe is one of the basic duties, which we will guard and strive for by using all means," he noted. He appealed to the Sejm to make the care for borders a testimony of responsibility.

Mariusz Kaminski, Minister of the Interior and Administration, presented detailed information about the current situation on the Polish-Belarusian border and the actions of Belarusian services. "Lukashenko's regime is cynically and artificially taking advantage of the naivety of many people worldwide and creating a migration crisis on the border with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia to cause another large migration route in north-eastern Europe," noted the Head of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration. At the same time, he stressed that Lukashenko's actions are a retaliation for the support provided to the Belarusian opposition by the European Union, Poland and Lithuania.

Minister Mariusz Kamiński informed that the Polish services had identified 46 planes from Baghdad to Mińsk in recent weeks. About 10,000 Iraqis have flown there. It is known that connections with Lebanon have been launched, and there are plans to start flights with Morocco and Pakistan. "If we do not act effectively and consistently, we will be flooded by a wave of illegal migrants. The Belarusian state governed by the Lukashenko regime is organising a huge international operation of migration tourism," the Minister said.

The Head of the Ministry of the interior and Administration announced that they would firmly defend international law and the right to respect for the sovereignty of our state border integrity. "Nothing will stop us; we will not give way in a fundamental and essential matter since we are responsible for Poland," he stressed. "Together with our neighbours from Lithuania and Latvia, we are using the same methods to seal our borders and solve the crisis. States of emergency have already been declared there, and we are also introducing it in Poland for our residents' safety in a very narrow band of about 3 km," the Minister added.

In his speech, the Head of the Interior Ministry also raised the issue of compensation for entrepreneurs in the area covered by the state of emergency. "There are citizens doing business in the border zone, and they are exposed to losses in this respect. We have prepared a draft law, which will go to a cabinet meeting later this week. This draft assumes that they will receive compensation," explained Minister Mariusz Kaminski. At the same time, he informed that the draft law provides for a precise, legible mechanism for paying all citizens whose activities will be temporarily impeded.

Moreover, the Minister told MPs that they have once again shown pictures of the Border Guard, which show the situation on the Belarusian side. "The migrants are in constant contact with the Belarusian services. They are supplied with food, and receive warm clothes and sleeping bags. These are facts," he stressed.

"We are in constant contact with representatives of the local governments of those municipalities affected by the introduction of the state of emergency, and we are in contact with the inhabitants. Everyone is very relieved that the Border Guard, the Police and the Polish Armed Forces are present there," emphasised Minister Mariusz Kamiński. Summing up his speech, the Head of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration stated that the means used are adequate, proportional and well-thought-out. "We do not act hysterically, we act calmly and resolutely," he pointed out.

After the debate, the Sejm agreed with the recommendation of the President and the Government on the introduction of a state of emergency on the Polish-Belarusian border. Thus, the Sejm rejected the motion to repeal the decree of the President of the Republic of Poland on introducing a state of emergency on the territory of parts of the Podlaskie and Lubelskie Voivodeships. The decree of the President of the Republic of Poland remains in force.