Extension of the buffer zone on the Polish-Belarusian border
03.06.2026
The Minister of Interior and Administration has signed a regulation extending the existence of the buffer zone from 3 June to 31 August 2026. This decision stems from the need to maintain the highest level of operational vigilance and ensure the high effectiveness of border protection.
A sharp drop in the number of attempts to cross the border illegally
Between 1 January and 31 May 2026, the Border Guard recorded just 215 attempts to cross the border illegally – as 98 per cent less than in the same period in 2025 (over 10,600 attempts).
Over the past two years, the government has allocated nearly PLN 3 billion to strengthen border security. We have extended the 190 km-long physical barrier and the electronic barrier along the Bug, Świsłocz and Istoczanka rivers, which is nearly 220 km long. The Polish border has become an insurmountable barrier,
- Minister Marcin Kierwiński emphasised.
The hybrid threat remains a concern
Less pressure does not mean the end of the crisis. Belarus – a country that is hostile towards the EU and NATO and supports the Russian Federation – has changed its tactics, shifting its activities to the borders with Lithuania and Latvia. Maintaining the buffer zone in Poland is crucial, as most of this year’s attempts to cross the border took place precisely in the sections where entry is prohibited.
The extent and rules of the buffer zone
The regulations restricting access to the border area have been in force since 13 June 2024 and are extended every 90 days. The ban currently covers a stretch of over 78 kilometres within the territorial jurisdiction of the Border Guard posts in Michałowo, Narewka, Białowieża, Dubicze Cerkiewne and Czeremcha. Across most of this area (approx. 59 km), the buffer zone extends just 200 metres from the border. However, the zone is extended to around 2 kilometres along a stretch of over 15 kilometres running through nature reserves, and extends toward the interior of the country for a distance of around 4 kilometres along a section measuring nearly 4 kilometres. The temporary ban on entering a specific area within the border zone adjacent to the national border with the Republic of Belarus has been extended for the eighth time.
The continued operation of the buffer zone will provide the services with the conditions necessary to effectively protect Poland’s eastern border.