EU wants to intervene in migrant crisis on the Polish-Belarusian border

A Polish soldier walks past a barbed wire fence on the border with Belarus (Illustrative image) AFP - JAAP ARRIENS

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2 min

Since the hijacking on May 23 of the Athens-Vilnius flight, orchestrated by Belarus to arrest the opponent Roman Protassévitch, and especially since the sanctions subsequently imposed by the EU, the situation has only worsened between the Europeans and the regime Belarusian.

The latter's use of migrants pushed towards the European border creates a dramatic humanitarian situation with a 6th migrant who died on Friday at the Polish-Belarusian border.

It is also a source of tension between Europeans: the European Commission asks Poland to allow Frontex to come and observe the border.

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With our correspondent in Brussels,

Pierre Bénazet

Poland itself has a very large body of border guards and wishes to deal with the situation without outside interference.

It only asks for political support from its European partners.

But in the meantime, accusations of refoulement and the ban on the press from approaching the border have fueled doubts.

Even if the European Commission is careful not to accuse Poland of turning back migrants, it is asking to finally accept the arrival of experts from Frontex, the European body of border and coast guards.

“

It is essential that Poland effectively fulfills its border management obligations,

explained Adalbert Jahnz, spokesperson for the European Commission, before qualifying: 

However, this must not be done to the detriment of human lives.

We urge the authorities in the Member States to ensure that those at the border receive the necessary care and assistance…

”

Ylva Johansson, the Commissioner for Internal Affairs, also wants to go and inspect the Belarusian border, but she has still not succeeded in organizing a preliminary meeting with the Polish Minister of the Interior.

Europeans all believe the Belarusian regime is responsible for the human tragedy at the Polish border, but some are raising the alarm signal here: they are warning not to leave Belarus the possibility of driving a wedge between Europeans through of a despicable use of migrants.

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  • International Migration

  • Poland

  • Belarus

  • European Union