WARSAW (Poland) — Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, asked Vladimir Putin, Russian President, Wednesday to intervene in Belarus’ situation regarding migrants at its border with Poland. This week, groups of migrants attempted to cross into territory belonging to the European Union.
According to the chancellor’s office, Merkel called Putin and stressed that the exploitation of “migrants against the European Union” by the Belarusian regime was inhumane and totally unacceptable. Merkel also asked Putin for his help in influencing the Minsk regime.
Russia is close to the Belarusian government. Germany is a popular destination for migrants who are able to enter the EU.
According to the Kremlin, Putin suggested that they have a conversation about the issues between EU member countries and Belarus. The Kremlin also stated that Putin and Merkel had “agreed” to continue the discussion on the topic.
The European Union announced for the first time it was considering funding a wall at its external borders. Although the EU’s executive committee has not allowed EU money to be used for fencing, fences, or barriers, it is being pressured by many member countries to do so.
Charles Michel, President of the European Council, oversees the EU’s political agenda, meetings of European leaders and said on Wednesday during a visit in Warsaw that the European Commission would be discussing the possibility of funding “physical infrastructure at borders” in the coming days.
Michel stated that Poland was in a serious crisis and under attack during a visit to show support. He deserved solidarity from all 27 EU nations.
The Polish Defense Ministry and the local police reported Wednesday that several groups of migrants attempted to enter the country late Tuesday or early Wednesday, but were stopped by the authorities.
Since Monday, hundreds of migrants have been sleeping on the Belarusian side of the border across from Kuznica in Poland.
The Defense Ministry of Poland also accused Belarusian forces firing shots into the sky in an area bordering Poland where migrants were caught between neighboring countries and set up a camp. The ministry uploaded a Twitter video with sounds that sounded like shots.
Recently, EU members Lithuania, Poland, and Latvia located at the bloc’s eastern frontier have complained about the unusually high number of migrants trying to enter or entering their countries from Belarus.
EU leaders accuse Alexander Lukashenko’s regime of opening up a new route for migrants to Europe as a retaliation to the sanctions he imposed on his authoritarian government.
After Lukashenko’s unconfirmed election to a sixth term, in August 2020, the EU imposed sanctions.
Many thousands of migrants have been forced back and forth across a forest area of swamps, bogs, and other areas at the border of Poland and Belarus by the conflicting political views. There have been eight deaths and the situation is getting more dangerous with temperatures dropping to below freezing at night.
The United Nations refugee agency has criticized Poland’s government and many Poles have accused it of pushing migrants across the border into the forest. The United States and European leaders supported Warsaw’s government. Large numbers of migrants used wire cutters and poles to attempt to enter Polish territory.
The State Border Guard Committee of Belarus stated in a Telegram message Wednesday that four Kurdish-speaking men were hurt in the temporary migrant camp at border. The injury was inflicted by the security forces of Poland, according to the committee.
According to refugees, they were held on Polish territory, where they attempted to request protection and refugee status. Judging from the many injuries.. the Polish security force mistreated them and forcibly pushed the men out through a barbed wire on the border to Belarus,” the post, which was accompanied by photos of bloodied individuals, read.
Independent verification of information is difficult. Reporting by independent journalists is limited in Belarus autocratic Belarus. Journalists are also prevented from crossing into Poland due to a state emergency.
Mateusz Morawiecki (Polish Prime Minister) met Wednesday with the president of the European Council. He described the current situation in Europe as “the first time in thirty years that the integrity of our borders has been tested.” Poland was freed from Moscow-backed communist rule over three decades ago.
Morawiecki suggested that Russia might be behind the Belarusian migration pressures on Tuesday. Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, rejected the suggestion as “unacceptable.”
Peskov stated that statements made by the Polish prime Minister claiming Russia was responsible for the current situation were irresponsible.
According to Michal Tokarczyk, local border guards, one of the attempted forced entry cases involved a group of migrants carrying tools and equipment. They broke through a razor wire fence near Bialowieza, northeast Poland.
Tomczyk stated that all were taken into custody and brought back to the border with Belarus.
Local volunteers and humanitarian workers have helped migrants cross the border by offering food, water, and clothing.
According to German news agency dpa, a group of activists were heading towards the Poland-Belarus border when they came up to the Kuznica border crossing.
They had intended to help migrants reach Germany by picking up migrants from Poland. According to dpa, the German Interior Ministry warned against “unauthorized transport” and “possible unauthorized entry”.
