Polish premier defends border controls, cites Belarus, Russia-driven migration threat

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has defended his government’s decision to reintroduce border controls with neighbouring Lithuania, citing growing concerns over irregular migration flows allegedly orchestrated by Belarus and supported by Russia.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, Tusk outlined the rationale behind the move, which he characterised as a necessary response to security threats at the EU’s external frontier, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

He reiterated Poland’s long-standing position that the migration pressure facing Europe is being fuelled by hostile state actors. Irregular migration flows in Europe were "organised by hostile powers, let’s call them for what they are, primarily by the Lukashenko regime [in Belarus], but also supported by Putin’s administration,” Tusk said.

The Polish leader emphasised the effectiveness of national border security measures, stating that Poland’s heavily militarised border operation with Belarus currently intercepts “98% of all attempts” to cross into the country. However, he warned that such efforts must be replicated elsewhere in Europe. “It all won’t make any sense if other external borders of the EU won’t be as tightly guarded,” he said.

Tusk noted that the reintroduction of checks at the Polish-Lithuanian border is designed to prevent migrants who fail to enter Poland directly from Belarus from reattempting entry via the Baltic states. He also revealed new details regarding four Afghan nationals detained overnight at the border, noting they had previously tried to cross into Poland from Belarus.

The Polish prime minister also used the occasion to issue a veiled critique of Germany, raising concerns about the return of irregular migrants by German authorities. “It will no longer be the case that anyone who has crossed the border illegally, and whose documentation is incomplete or unclear, will be sent to Poland from anywhere – whether from Germany or any other country.”

By Vugar Khalilov