Poland’s Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, has confirmed that the government will temporarily suspend the right of migrants arriving at Poland’s border with Belarus to apply for asylum.
This move follows the signing of a controversial bill into law by President Andrzej Duda, which allows the suspension of asylum rights for up to 60 days at a time.
According to BBC News, the decision to enact the law was made after a period of growing concern over illegal migration across Poland’s border with Belarus.
The new law allows the Polish authorities to suspend asylum rights for up to 60 days, which can be repeated.
Tusk noted that the law would be implemented immediately. Meanwhile, President Duda noted that the changes are necessary to enhance border security.
Human rights concerns over new law
Reports inform that the move has faced criticism from various human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch. The group has argued that the suspension violates Poland’s international and European Union obligations regarding the right to asylum.
Human Rights Watch has also called on the EU to take legal action against Poland if the law is enforced.
The organization had urged the Polish parliament to reject the bill, describing it as contrary to EU standards and international human rights law. Human Rights Watch warned that the law could result in the complete closure of the Poland-Belarus border, where Polish authorities have already been criticized for carrying out unlawful pushbacks of migrants.
Exceptions to the suspension
The Polish government has clarified that the asylum suspension will only apply to individuals deemed a threat to state security. In particular, the law targets large groups of migrants who are believed to be crossing the border in an organized manner, potentially with support from Belarusian authorities.
- The government has also stated that exceptions will be made for certain vulnerable groups, such as unaccompanied minors, pregnant women, the elderly, or those with medical conditions.
- Furthermore, individuals at risk of significant harm if returned will be excluded from the suspension, along with citizens of countries suspected of using migration as a political tool, like Belarus.
Tusk dismissed the criticism from rights groups, insisting that the law does not violate human rights or the right to asylum.
“Nobody is talking about violating human rights, the right to asylum,” he said.
“We are talking about not granting applications to people who illegally cross the border in groups organised by Lukashenko.”
Increased migration and order tensions
Reports inform that the border issue has been a growing concern since 2021, as Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Finland have seen an increase in illegal crossings from Belarus. Polish authorities have deployed thousands of troops and border guards to patrol the border.
Furthermore, a 5.5-meter-high steel fence has been constructed along 186 kilometers of the frontier to prevent crossings. At times, migrants have been left stranded along the border as they attempt to enter the EU.
Human rights groups have reported that more than one hundred people have died along the borders between Belarus and the Baltic states since 2021, raising alarm about the conditions at these frontier areas.
EU and Belarusian relations
BBC cites that Poland and other Eastern EU member states, along with the European Commission, have accused Belarus and Russia of using migration as a political weapon.
They argue that Belarus is facilitating illegal crossings to create instability along the EU’s eastern border, further escalating tensions within the bloc.
