Belarus–Poland border barrier explained

Belarus–Poland border barrier
Native Name:Zapora na granicy polsko-białoruskiej (Polish)
Location:Parts of the Belarus–Poland border
Type:Border barrier
Operator:Border Guard of Poland
Built:2022
Used:2022–present
Builder:Poland
Height:5.5 meters (18 feet)
Length:187 km (116 mi)
Condition:Active

On 25 January 2022, Poland began building a border wall on the border with Belarus to prevent illegal immigration[1] [2] in the aftermath of the Belarus–European Union border crisis.

Construction

Poland began work on the 5.5-meter (18 foot) high steel wall topped with barbed wire at a cost of around 1.6 billion zł (US$407m) aimed at blocking the passage of illegal migrants during the border crisis in the region artificially instigated by Belarus in the late summer of 2021. The barrier was completed on 30 June 2022.[3]

An electronic barrier 206km in length mounting 3,000 cameras with night vision and movement sensors, was added to the fence between November 2022 and early summer 2023 at a cost of EUR 71.8 million.[4]

Criticism

Some media outlets, journalists and celebrities accused the Polish government of using border barrier to prevent entry of irregular asylum seekers.[5] [6] [7] [8] [9] During and after the intense phase of the border crisis, Poland did not close its border crossings with Belarus and did not stop granting asylum. In 2022 1,029 applications were made in Terespol and 1,070 in Podlaskie.[10]

Since the fence was built illegal crossings have reduced to a trickle, however between August 2021 and February 2023 37 bodies were found on both sides of the border, people having died mainly from hypothermia or drowning.[10]

Attempted crossings

During 2022 Poland recorded 16,000 attempted crossings of the border. In 2023 the electronic sensors logged 22,000 in the first 8 months.[11]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Poland begins work on new EU-Belarus border wall to deter migrant crossings | The Straits Times. Hermes. Auto. January 25, 2022. www.straitstimes.com. January 26, 2022. April 27, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230427135724/https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/poland-begins-work-on-new-eu-belarus-border-wall-to-deter-migrant-crossings. live.
  2. Web site: Work on Belarus border barrier to start on Tuesday. www.thefirstnews.com. 2022-01-26. 2023-04-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20230428130402/https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/work-on-belarus-border-barrier-to-start-on-tuesday-27466. live.
  3. Web site: Poland completes Belarus border wall to keep migrants out. CTV News. June 30, 2022. July 2, 2022. April 28, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230428152941/https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/poland-completes-belarus-border-wall-to-keep-migrants-out-1.5969456. live.
  4. Web site: Electronic border barrier between Poland and Belarus ready: official . 1 June 2023.
  5. Web site: July 7, 2022 . Poland completes 186-kilometre border wall with Belarus after migration dispute . www.euronews.com . December 17, 2022 . December 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221217143742/https://www.euronews.com/2022/06/30/poland-completes-186-kilometre-border-wall-with-belarus-after-migration-dispute . live .
  6. Web site: Tondo . Lorenzo . June 27, 2022 . Poland starts building wall through protected forest at Belarus border . www.euronews.com . December 17, 2022 . December 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221217143742/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/27/poland-starts-building-wall-through-protected-forest-at-belarus-border . live .
  7. Web site: July 2, 2022 . 'Double standards': Poland criticised as steel wall along border with Belarus is completed . news.sky.com . December 16, 2022 . December 16, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221216083830/https://news.sky.com/story/double-standards-poland-criticised-as-steel-wall-along-border-with-belarus-is-completed-12643099 . live .
  8. Web site: July 6, 2022 . Poland Finally Lifts State of Emergency at Belarus Border . hrw.org . December 17, 2022 . December 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221217143742/https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/07/06/poland-finally-lifts-state-emergency-belarus-border . live .
  9. Web site: Gera . Vanessa . Grieshaber . Kirsten . June 30, 2022 . Poland completes Belarus border wall to keep migrants out . apnews.com . December 19, 2022 . December 19, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221219092039/https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-africa-poland-forests-middle-east-443c8068ea7b5d1d8f6980da6e3879af . live .
  10. Web site: ACCESS TO THE TERRITORY AND PUSH BACKS . 22 May 2023.
  11. Web site: Beatings, dog bites, and barbed wire: life and death on the Poland-Belarus border . 2 October 2023.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Belarus–Poland border barrier".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.