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Poland’s Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, has confirmed a brand new info marketing campaign concentrating on irregular migration, geared toward discouraging individuals from attempting to cross the nation’s japanese border illegally.
The announcement comes amid a year-long migration disaster alongside the Poland-Belarus border that has seen 1000’s try entry into the EU through Poland.
In a video launched on Friday, March 4, Tusk declared: “Our message will likely be easy: the Polish border is sealed. Don’t imagine the smugglers. Don’t imagine [Belarusian President Alexander] Lukashenko, don’t imagine [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. They mislead you once they say that that is the way in which into Europe.” (Cited by Notes from Poland).
As a part of the marketing campaign, Poland will launch a focused outreach in seven international locations the place most irregular migrants originate. Whereas Tusk didn’t title them straight, information from the Polish Border Guard suggests they’re Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, Yemen and Afghanistan.
Poland’s more durable legal guidelines on asylum
The marketing campaign follows the passing of a brand new legislation final month that enables Poland to suspend the right to claim asylum on the Belarus border. As Tusk put it: “You received’t apply for asylum right here anymore.” He added that “1000’s of troopers, border guards and policemen, cameras and drones, guard each metre of it 24 hours a day,” cited by Notes from Poland.
Tusk bolstered this message by displaying video footage of a gaggle of migrants being apprehended by border officers after making an attempt to cross the frontier. “However above all, you received’t cross the Polish border illegally,” he acknowledged within the clip.
Since late 2021, the Poland-Belarus border has been a key entry level for migrants. Each Warsaw and Brussels accuse President Lukashenko of orchestrating the disaster in coordination with Moscow to destabilise the EU.
Human rights issues over Poland’s deterring irregular migration marketing campaign
The Polish authorities’s response has confronted critical criticism. Human rights organisations have condemned “pushback” techniques – the place migrants are returned to Belarus with out being given the chance to assert asylum – calling them unlawful beneath worldwide legislation, as reported by The Brussels Occasions.
Dozens of migrants have reportedly died within the border area because the disaster started. In a single occasion, a Polish soldier was fatally stabbed by a migrant whereas on obligation.
Each the earlier Regulation and Justice (PiS) authorities and Tusk’s present coalition have continued to strengthen border defences. This contains the development of a big metal barrier alongside elements of the Belarus and Kaliningrad frontiers, the creation of short-term exclusion zones, and expanded powers for border authorities.
The talk on irregular migration
Whereas many help Poland’s powerful stance on border safety, others argue the EU should discover a higher steadiness between nationwide sovereignty and humanitarian obligations.
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