Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk explained yesterday that Poland is beginning work to further strengthen the entire eastern border, as the country faces what he called a growing “hybrid war” against illegal migration from Belarus.
Tusk did not provide details on the planned actions or the funds that would be allocated, but declared that when it comes to Poland’s security “there will be no limits.”
“The border between Poland and Belarus is a unique place due to the pressure of illegal immigration. In fact, we are looking at a hybrid war in progress,” the prime minister said while visiting the border and meeting soldiers and guards.
“I want there to be no doubt: a country with increasingly aggressive intentions towards Poland, like Belarus, is co-organizing this practice on the Polish border.”
Poland’s previous government and the European Union accused Belarus in 2021 of orchestrating a flow of migrants to pressure the EU over sanctions it imposed on Minsk. Belarus denied the allegations. Attempts to cross the border have continued since then, with numbers fluctuating depending on the weather. The Polish border guard claims that around 300 illegal raids are currently carried out daily.
Tense relations between the two countries have soured since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in which Belarus has had an active collaboration in the eyes of Warsaw.
The previous government built a fence on the border between Poland and Belarus more than 180 kilometers long and 5.5 meters high to curb illegal immigration. The system is completed with a system of cameras and sensors that monitor the border. Tusk said the new fortifications would be located along “the entire eastern border,” which could also encompass Ukraine and Russia, although he did not give details.
