The border situation in Podlaskie is evolving
Over the past 24 hours, border guards reported that 68 foreigners attempted to move from Belarus into Poland. A number of individuals crossed the Świsłocz river on a pontoon in the Podlaskie Voivodeship, illustrating ongoing attempts to enter the country by river routes.
The flow continues
On social media, border guards noted that people identified as coming from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iran were among those trying to enter Poland on Monday. Some individuals chose to retreat back toward Belarus after initial attempts to cross the border.
Detentions followed the crossings when five Syrian nationals who had used a pontoon to reach Polish territory were apprehended in the vicinity protected by border guards around Krynki. In addition, another trafficking incident was recorded as a courier transporting five Afghans was stopped in the same area. The vehicle involved carried a Georgian driver and five Afghan passengers, all of whom faced arrest for illegal border crossing.
Regulations along the border track
Currently, Podlaskie enforces a border strip regime, with restrictions defined by a voivode regulation issued in September 2021. This regulation prohibits staying on the entire border strip on the border with Belarus, which marks the external boundary of the European Union. By how the State Border Protection Act defines it, the border road strip is a zone about 50 feet (15 meters) inland from the state border or from the bank of a border water area or coast.
The current prohibition does not apply to landowners whose properties lie along the border road, marked tourist trails, or designated bathing zones. The area is clearly marked with signs reading Grensbaan no entry, indicating restricted access for non-authorized users.
Cross-border access outside Podlasie
Following a closure decision by the Ministry of Interior and Administration, the Bobrowniki border crossing in Podlaskie has no active Polish-Belarusian crossing for now. The two rail crossings at Kuźnica and Siemianówka remain open for railway traffic, while road entries are suspended in the region.
Additional context often cited alongside this topic includes reports about other attempts at crossing the border and statements from government officials regarding the potential closure of further crossings with Belarus in response to tensions and actions by the Belarusian regime. These developments are part of a broader discussion about border security and European Union accession controls.
rm/PAP