Poland builds a fence on the border with Belarus | abroad

The project worries human rights and environmental activists. The former fears that migrants fleeing conflict will not be able to apply for asylum. The second group fears the negative consequences of the fence on the fauna and flora of the forest area on the border.

The European Union pledged its support to Poland and harshly criticized Belarus. The Polish government has rejected Brussels’ proposal to allow the European agency Frontex to take part in border control. Warsaw also voted to pass a law allowing migrants to be returned without waiting for asylum.

Thousands of migrants, mostly from the Middle East, tried to cross the Polish border into the European Union last year. Some succeeded and were able to continue their journey to Western Europe.
Poland and Western countries accused the Belarus regime of encouraging or even aiding the flow of migrants by promising them easy entry into the European Union.

The government of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko rejected the accusations and accused Poland of treating migrants inhumanely.