Poland extends emergency to stop immigrant influx; Belarus dismisses accusations levelled on immigrant issue

Warsaw/Minsk: – Poland has announced that it is extending the state of emergency imposed to stop the influx of immigrants from Belarus. The Polish government has decided to continue with the state of emergency on the Poland-Belarus border for the next two months. Whereas NGOs have accused Poland of forcibly pushing the immigrants away. Belarus has denied the allegations that Belarus is inciting immigrants.

The European Union (EU) has imposed harsh sanctions on Alexander Lukashenko, the President of Belarus. Some European countries have even granted asylum to leaders opposed to Lukashenko, and efforts are being made to pressurise Belarus. Belarus has begun using refugees in retaliation for the Union’s action. Poland has claimed that more than 8,000 immigrants from Belarus have attempted intrusion in the past two months.

Against this background, Poland has taken a more aggressive stance. Poland has already begun erecting fences along the border to prevent illegal immigration and has also deployed military units. Last month, the Polish government declared a state of emergency in Podlaskie and Lubelskie. The emergency has now been extended and will be continued for the next two months. However, the emergency and other drastic measures have sharpened the edge of criticism against Poland.

NGOs claim that Polish security forces have forcibly evacuated immigrants to Belarus during and before the emergency. NGOs and the opposition parties have become more aggressive following the death of nearly six immigrants at the border in the past few days. Amnesty International has expressed displeasure regarding the Polish regime’s behaviour, saying that this is inhumane. A report also has been published in this regard.

Meanwhile, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has denied the allegations made over the immigrant issue. Belarus has not forcibly pushed any immigrants to the European border, Lukashenko said in an interview. Instead, he claimed, the Polish regime was forcing immigrants into Belarus. Poland and Lithuania have accused Belarus of pushing immigrants into European borders with Russian assistance and have termed this as a part of a ‘hybrid warfare’.