Minister Marcin Kierwiński was accompanied at the press conference by Deputy Minister Czesław Mroczek and Maciej Duszczyk. The meeting took place on the border near the Bug River, near the Border Guard Post in Włodawa – a place of special importance where the borders of three countries meet.

Eastern border as a priority for the MIA

It is here, on Poland's eastern border, that the real battle against illegal migration is taking place today

Minister of Interior and Administration Marcin Kierwiński pointed out.

At a press conference in Włodawa held at the juncture of the borders of Poland, Belarus and Ukraine, the head of the Ministry of Interior and Administration stressed that border security is one of the key tasks of the state.

The Minister thanked the officers of the Border Guard  and the Police, as well as the soldiers, including the Territorial Defence Forces, for their daily service.

The Polish border is tight, secure and well protected. From the first days after the current government took office, we have deployed the maximum technical resources to support the services. Today, this border is effectively monitored and secured

he said.

Effective investments and advanced technology

Minister Marcin Kierwiński recalled that strengthening the physical barrier on the border with Belarus and equipping it with optoelectronic and electronic systems translates into the safety of Poles.

In the past, the effectiveness of detecting illegal migration reached 30%, today it is almost 98%. This says everything about the scale of the commitment and the effectiveness of the investment

he said.

An additional PLN 280 million has been allocated for the construction of an electronic barrier along the Bug River.

It has been almost a year and a half of work, which today is yielding tangible results. The border along this section is secure

the Minister pointed out.

Hybrid threats and increased attempts to cross the border illegally

The Minister of Interior and Administration indicated that after the Podlasie section was sealed, the migration pressure shifted to the Bug River section.

We have had a tenfold increase in the number of attempts to illegally cross this border compared to last year. This is proof of the effectiveness of our actions in Podlasie and the need to continue investing here

he said.

The Minister indicated that measures to strengthen infrastructure will continue. Work is underway to build a patrol road along the section protected by the physical barrier. The value of the investment is close to PLN 300 million.

We hope that the road will be ready by the end of the year

he added.

Record reinforcement of Border Guard personnel

Minister Marcin Kierwiński stressed that the number of Border Guard personnel has been significantly increased in recent months.

This is the highest staffing level of the formation since its inception – almost 16,000 officers. We are planning a further 2,500 full-time positions

he announced.

As part of the development of the formation, special branches of the contract service were also created. The target is to have 1,500 officers in those branches, with 500 starting their service this year.

Effective policy and modern law

Minister Marcin Kierwiński pointed out that border security is not only about infrastructure and people, but also about appropriate legislation.

We have adopted solutions that allow for the suspension of the right to asylum in certain situations. This is a project that originated from the initiative of Minister Maciej Duszczyk. He was a pioneer on a European scale. Today, the entire continent is considering implementing similar solutions

he said.

Another change concerns the rules on the use of measures by officers and soldiers.

There is now no doubt what measures can be used to defend the national border

he added.

The Bug River Unit of the Border Guard – a key element in border protection

The Bug River Unit of the Border Guard covers 467.5 km of the border, of which 296.26 km is shared with Ukraine and 171.24 km with Belarus. It operates in 20 outposts, including 12 border crossings (7 road, 4 rail, 1 air crossing in Świdnik).

The head of the MIA stressed that the actions of the government and officers are effective at stopping illegal migration. Minister Marcin Kierwiński announced further investments in border infrastructure and an increase in the number of Border Guard personnel.

Modern border surveillance centre

After the conference at the point where the three national borders meet, Minister Marcin Kierwiński visited the Headquarters of the Bug River Unit of the Border Guard in Chełm, where the state-of-the-art Technical Border Protection System Surveillance Centre is located. It is from here that the electronic barrier along the Bug River is monitored around the clock, supported by long-range optoelectronic systems, mobile observation towers, thermal imaging cameras and unmanned aerial vehicles. The Centre is equipped with 20 operator workstations and a video wall allowing the situation at the border to be viewed in real time.