Poland’s Belarusian Border and the EU
Written by Olivia Tobolski; Edited by Andrew Ma
Published on May 2nd, 2025
Introduction
At the Połowce-Pieszczatka crossing point, between Poland and Belarus, desperation, chaos and hopelessness reign supreme. The crossing point is part of what has been coined the “Eastern Shield” and is the eastern border of EU and NATO territory. Since the summer of 2021, this border has been the topic of heated debates over migration. The Polish government has accused Belarus of luring asylum seekers from elsewhere and pushing them towards the border, some say in retaliation for the EU sanctions placed after the 2020 election in Belarus, in which current Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was elected. The election has been widely discredited, due to sweeping accusations of corruption. Many also point to Poland’s support of Ukraine as a motivation for the Belarusian government, who are rumored to be working with Putin and Russia. The border is heavily armed with guards, a 5-meter high steel fence, sensor cables, and thermal cameras. The road, which was previously used for shipping everyday goods, now features concrete barriers, barbed wire, hedgehogs, and infantry vehicles. The crisis has sparked responses from both the Polish Border Guard and the Polish Armed Forces, with 6,000 soldiers actively patrolling the 247 km long border. In 2024 alone, there were 29,707 attempted border crossings, and attempts are expected to increase as the weather improves.
Migrants are mostly from impoverished countries, such as Somalia, Syria, and Yemen, with Russian or Belarusian visas. They are aided by facilitators in Belarus, who persuade them to attempt the border crossing and give them advice on how to break through. As these facilitators generally garner about $500 per transport, many are Ukrainian nationals simply looking to make money. Allegedly, these migrants have been provided with tools by the Belarusian government to attack border guards. In addition, a startling statistic shows that only 2,343 of those who attempted to illegally cross the border actually filed applications for asylum. Officials believe that Belarus has spread misinformation, including the idea that it is possible to request asylum directly in Germany, which is false.
The Belarusian-Polish Border Crisis has been the topic of debate between the EU, Polish government, and several human rights organizations.
Credit: Wikimedia Foundation
Poland’s Response
Poland’s response to these crossings could be the beginning of a new age of EU policy. In October of 2024, Polish President Donald Tusk announced a temporary suspension of the right to asylum in Poland. On February 21st of this year, 386 out of the 460 members of the Sejm approved the amendment, which aimed to take a stance against the instrumentalization of migrants. The suspension does not apply to minors, pregnant women, the elderly, or sick people, provided that these people can prove persecution in Belarus. The bill would allow the suspension of the right for 60 days, so extensions would have to be approved by the parliament. The idea is that citizen rights are prioritized over migrant rights, although many aren’t happy with this arrangement. Many Polish courts have condemned the pushbacks as illegal and immoral, while several volunteer organizations like the Podlaskie Volunteer Humanitarian Emergency Service and the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights have argued it breaches human rights agreements and the European convention.
According to Human Rights Watch in December 2024, those illegally crossing the border have faced unlawful abuse at the hands of Polish officials. They claim that migrants are coerced into signing papers they don’t understand, leading to their removal from Poland. Those sent back to Belarus allegedly experience cruel treatment from Belarusian officials, and these pushbacks are often done without due process. There have been many harrowing accounts from those who illegally crossed, but were sent back, causing a wave of protest against the suspension. According to this organization, there have been violent incidents involving pepper spray, damage to migrants’ property, and more. HRW is publicly against Tusk’s bill, arguing that it would essentially legalize abuse. The bill mandates that border guards will decide who qualifies for the aforementioned exemptions, but Human Rights Watch is adamant that this responsibility should only fall to Poland’s Office of Foreigners, rather than individuals who have reportedly ignored valid requests. HRW has made clear their stance on the issue, citing non-refoulement to support their position. They argue that Belarusian actions don’t negate Poland’s responsibility to protect and provide asylum to those in desperate need of it.
Despite these outspoken organizations, Tusk plans to increase security and fortification on the border by mid-2025, especially after a Polish border guard was critically injured by a migrant in May of 2024. Poland is putting $611 million into this project and plans to have a 200-meter wide buffer zone between it and Belarus. The current reinforcements have already helped to decrease the amount of successful border crossings, but there is always the possibility of this changing.
Conclusion
Poland’s actions may prove to be a gamechanger when it comes to their relationship with the European Union, as they have refused to implement the Migration Pact, which was the EU’s legislative reform to manage the arrival of asylum seekers. The European Union commission mandates that member states must provide asylum according to the procedure as set by the 1951 Refugee Convention and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. However, at the recent EU Summit, Tusk defended his position, comparing Poland’s situation to Finland’s July policy. The Commission ceded, publishing a 10 page document explaining their allowance of his actions, but commanding him to do only what is necessary. The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum is set to come in 2026. As outlined by the policy, refugees will be identified within 7 days of arrival and their details will be stored in the Eurodac. Those from countries with lower recognition rates of risk will be housed in centers, while those from countries with higher risk will go through a shortened version of the regular procedure. If states refuse to accept people who demonstrate valid need, they must pay compensation to the countries who will then accept those people. The EU is aiming to make this a policy of “mandatory solidarity”, in which member states unite to help those in need. With the upcoming Polish election and growing tensions in Eastern Europe, the future of Poland in the EU is unclear. Poland’s refusal to cooperate with its migration policies, citing them as enforcing an unfair distribution of migrants, could weaken trust and perhaps cause conflicts in the future. For now, Poland is on a short leash.
