Poland declares a state of emergency on the border with Belarus

WARSAW, Sept 2 (Reuters) – Poland’s president has declared a state of emergency in parts of two border regions with Belarus, his spokesman said on Thursday, a move unprecedented in the country’s post-communist history following a increase in illegal migration.

The European Union has accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of using migrants from countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan as part of a “hybrid war” designed to pressure the bloc over the sanctions it has imposed on Minsk.

Poland has tried to improve security along its border by building a fence and deploying troops.

“The situation on the border with Belarus is difficult and dangerous,” presidential spokesman Blazej Spychalski told a news conference. “Today, as Poland, being responsible for our own borders, but also for the borders of the European Union, we must take measures to ensure the security of Poland and the (EU).”

The Polish border guard said on Wednesday that there had been close to 3,500 attempts to cross the border illegally in August alone, 2,500 of which had managed to thwart.

The government has also said it needs to prepare for “provocations” that could transpire during military exercises organized by the Russian army to be held on Russian and Belarusian territory near Poland from 10 September.

The “West-2021” exercises will involve thousands of military personnel, including those from Kazakhstan, a member of the Moscow-led defense bloc, as well as tanks, artillery and aircraft.

“The second reason for causing a state of emergency in this area is the military exercises … that will take place on our border,” said Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski. “We have to be prepared for every scenario.”

The state of emergency, which will restrict the movement of people and prohibit mass gatherings, must be applied to a 3 km (1.9 mile) deep strip along the border for 30 days.

NGOs have harshly criticized the government’s approach to the issue and said Warsaw should provide more humanitarian aid to immigrants on the border.

“This state of emergency is a nuclear solution that takes us away from this border, not just us, but also the media, and making sure that no one … will document what is happening there,” said Marianna Wartecka. of Ocalenia. Refugee Charity Foundation.

Poland says migrants are the responsibility of Belarus and has also accused Minsk of refusing a convoy of humanitarian aid aimed at them.

Report by Alan Charlish, Pawel Florkiewicz, Alicja Ptak and Anna Koper; Edited by Mark Heinrich

Our standards: the principles of trust of Thomson Reuters.