Thanks to the cooperation of the Polish Army, Border defender and Police, the number of cases of effective crossing of the Polish-Belarusian border falls. "And even if they are, migrants who illegally cross borders are detained," said Paul Bejda in the Sejm. The Deputy Minister of Defence answered Members' questions about securing the east wall of the country.
Deputy Minister Paweł Bejda presented information on the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border in consequence to questions from Members on current issues. Andrzej Szewiński and Ewa Kołodziej (from the Civic Coalition Parliamentary Club) asked about government action to destruct threats from organised groups of illegal migrants, supported by Belarusian services. Members were curious in how creation of a buffer region along the border and changing the strategy of targeting more police on the east wall and less troops have contributed to improving security.
Deputy Minister Paweł Bejda, acting on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, reported that over the last 7 days there have been 387 attempts to illegally cross the border, which shows a downward trend compared to the erstwhile week. – This is simply a decrease of about 38 percent. On average, it is 56 attempts to illegally cross the border daily," said Bejda. He added that the main directions in which there were attempts at illegal entry were the areas of Cheremcha and Michałowo, Podlasie, last week. He besides stated that since mid-July of this year attempts to cross the border have been made on almost the full section of the Polish-Belarusian border, and 70 percent of them have occurred outside the buffer zone.
The Deputy Minister besides informed about the most common origin of migrants trying to scope Poland. “The people of Afghanistan, Syria and Iran dominate. The continuation of higher migration force in the northern part of the Polish-Belarusian border continues to be observed," he said. Paweł Bejda besides added that the way migrants operate has not changed importantly in fresh months. – Migrants frequently effort to overcome the permanent barrier by extending its profiles with the aid of car levers. They besides effort to beat her with a mountain, utilizing ladders. They besides usage alleged battery grinders (...), he explained. As he admitted, the usage of specified tools makes the Polish services have little time to react, and this increases the chance of migrants to cross the first line of safety and break to the point taken by couriers. The Deputy Chief of the MON mentioned that 63 soldiers had been injured and injured since the beginning of 2024 during the detention or detention of illegal migrants.
Paweł Bejda besides presented statistical data. From 1 January to 15 October 2024 almost 28,000 attempts to illegally cross the border were reported on the border section with Belarus. That's more than last year, due to the fact that in 2023 these trials were 25 702. Among the foreigners who tried to enter Poland illegally, the most were Syrian citizens, Afghanistan, Somalia, Eritrea, India, Ethiopia and Yemen. The Secretary of State added that it is inactive happening attempts to cross the border on rivers Volkushanka and Piśłocz and on Bug.
The Deputy Minister besides mentioned the key actions taken in 2024 to improve safety at the east border. – 1 August We started Operation Safe PodlasieFive 1000 soldiers take part straight on the border, and about 800 are in retreat. In the event of a crucial deterioration of the situation, it is possible to separate up to 17,000 soldiers for the operation," Bejda said. He besides assured that the military would proceed this operation until it was ready by the border defence component. – We have improved training, equipment and surviving conditions for soldiers. The training process was intensified with police support. Additional equipment was besides sent: transporters and reconnaissance vehicles, and soldiers are equipped with individual equipment with “Speak” programme said the Secretary of State.
He besides added that 19 light ones were sent to the border Reconnaissance vehicles Viper And 4 Rosomak medical transporters. 2 helicopters have been separated to support the action, and there are six more in the retreat.
Deputy Minister besides mentioned the implementation of the national deterrence and defence programme under the codename “The Tartar East” and amend the rules on the usage of weapons at the border. He besides added that the number of attempts at illegal border crossings is decreasing due to a change of tactics on the Polish side. The improvement was affected, as he stressed, by the appearance of police prevention troops and the designation of a buffer zone.
Paweł Bejda besides pointed out that the training process was intensified to prepare soldiers for action on the border. – Commander of the 18th Mechanized Division has developed a plan for implementation training in police prevention explanation and practice for soldiers directed to support service by the Border Guard," he said. He added that thanks to the launch of a joint centre of coordination of activities in the Podlaskie Border defender Division, the cooperation of all services was improved. However, as the Vice-President of the MON acknowledged, there will be more attempts to cross the border in the coming months.
