– I am grateful to all Border Guard officers and the Polish Army soldiers for guarding and defending our border. We are strengthening it with special security installations – said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. – We cannot be subject to blackmail. This is an organised assault on the Polish border. We will not yield, and we will strengthen our security installations. We have provided additional equipment and resources for this. This is about the security of Poland and the European Union – he added.

Growing numbers of illegal border crossings

In recent months, the number of illegal migrants from Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and other countries on the borders of Belarus with the European Union has increased considerably. A significant surge occurred in July, with 242 attempts to enter Poland through the eastern border.

Since 1 August 2021, the Border Guard recorded 7,641 attempts to cross the Polish-Belarusian border illegally. In August alone, there were more than 3,500 such efforts. Only in September, 4,131 attempts were thwarted, and people were detained on the territory of Poland.

– This is a massive operation, well-orchestrated by Minsk and Moscow. It can be seen that Moscow controls this operation. The determination is great. In addition, I am concerned by the fact that Belarus has specifically introduced visa-free travel for countries with a high potential for illegal emigration. These are several countries from the Middle East and Africa – said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

Death of three migrants

At the weekend, the Border Guard made a tragic discovery. Three people who illegally crossed the frontier died of hypothermia and exhaustion. The identity of these people is not yet known. There are ongoing efforts to identify the deceased.

Support for border crossers

The government is assisting and saving the lives of all persons who have crossed the Polish border. We have helped eight such people trapped in the swamps of the Supraśl River.

– This is why we introduced the state of emergency, to increase the tightness of the border. At the same time, we are sensitive to human harm and help where we can, including hospital care – stated Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

– We have video footage, and we are absolutely sure that illegal migrants are brought to the Polish-Belarusian frontier. There they are planted there and instructed – he added.