(Warsaw) Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Sunday described the migrant crisis on the border between Poland and Belarus, the EU’s eastern border, as “the biggest attempt to destabilize Europe” since the Cold War.
Belarusian President Alexander “Lukashenko has launched a hybrid war against the EU. It is (the) biggest attempt to destabilize Europe in 30 years. Poland will not give in to blackmail and will do everything to defend the EU’s borders, ”Morawiecki said on Twitter.
Later today, the Polish head of government will meet his counterparts from the Baltic states – two of which also share a border with Belarus – to discuss the crisis, before visiting other European capitals this week.
PHOTO PETRAS MALUKAS, AFP
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki
The West accuses Belarus of having artificially created the crisis by bringing in potential immigrants – mainly from the Middle East – and bringing them to the border, promising them easy passage through the European Union.
Belarus denied the accusation, blaming the EU instead for not welcoming migrants.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told the BBC on Friday that it was “absolutely possible” that his forces had helped people cross into the EU, but denied orchestrating the operation.
“We are Slavs. We have heart. Our troops know that the migrants are going to Germany… Maybe someone helped them, ”he said. “But I didn’t invite them here.”
Although there are signs that the crisis is easing a bit, Polish border guards on Sunday reported further attempts to cross, including by a “very aggressive group of a hundred” migrants.
Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Saturday that Belarus had now changed its tactics by leading smaller groups of migrants to several points on the border.
The migrants abandoned everything at home, spending thousands of dollars to travel to Belarus on tourist visas, determined to reach the EU. According to Polish media, at least 11 migrants have died since the crisis began this summer.