Poland accused of brutality, while the border repression in Belarus escalates – Politico

“Pushbacks on the border of Poland-Belaria are generalized and systemic,” said Aleksandra Guliitska, of Advocacy equal. “I continually encountered people from the forest who were forcibly returned to Belarus by the Polish authorities.”

Despite such accusations, the December European Commission Has allocated 52 million euros to strengthen the surveillance and infrastructure along the east border of Poland. In announcing the decision, the chairman of the commission, Ursula von der Leyen, mentioned that Poland and other border states are on the first lines of “hybrid threats” emanated from Belarus and Russia.

Belarus played a central role In directing the migrants to the European Union, supposed to destabilize the block, the state controlled travel agencies that offer them visas and transport. Once reached the border, the security forces in Belarus escort migrants on the Polish territory as they blocked their withdrawal.

When Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk replaced the country The right -wing populist government In 2023, the groups of rights hoped that his position lined up at the EU would soften his country’s approach. Instead, Tusk’s government has gathered policies, reintroduced the exclusion areas and approved a law that allows temporary suspension of the right to seek asylum. Migration remains a key problem before the MIA presidential elections.

While Brussels has avoided facing Tusk’s government, it is the threat of legal actions on Poland’s refusal to take over asylum seekers in the EU migration, which requires a fee of asylum seekers or contributing to a financial mechanism. Last week the commission ADVISED Warsaw could face punishments for refusing to comply.

So far, Warsaw has refused to get rid of it.