Poles express strong reservations about altering the border landscape with Russia and Belarus, a stance reflected in a survey commissioned by Rzeczpospolita. The report notes that neighboring Baltic states—Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia—are also weighing similar steps, creating a regional conversation about border security and defense postures.
In a poll conducted by IBRiS for the daily, 28.3% of participants supported Poland constructing minefields along the frontier with Russia and Belarus. A larger portion, 54%, opposed such a move, while 17.7% did not offer an opinion on the question. The results reveal a divided public landscape, where a portion of respondents favors deterrence measures while a larger group prefers non-escalatory approaches or different risk assessments.
Those who oppose border mining tend to be found among respondents with centrist political leanings, including voters who previously supported centrist or reformist parties in recent parliamentary ballots. The data indicates varied interpretations of risk, sovereignty, and regional stability among different segments of the population.
– the daily notes in its reporting.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense have no plans to expand or deepen border fortifications with Belarus and Russia at this time.”
The newspaper underscores that the possession of anti-personnel mines by national forces is constrained by the Ottawa Treaty, which Poland ratified, though it points out that anti-tank munitions remain in stockpiles and are not bound by the same treaty provisions in the present security framework.
Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense clarified to Rzeczpospolita that there are no immediate plans to mine the border with Belarus or Russia. This assessment reflects a cautious approach toward border security, focusing on other deterrence and readiness measures rather than field deployments in the near term.
– the newspaper adds in its survey commentary.
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The IBRiS survey for Rz was conducted on February 23 and 24, involving a nationally representative sample of 1,071 respondents. When asked, “Should Poland build minefields on the border with Russia and Belarus?” responses were distributed as follows: 10 percent strongly agreed, 18 percent agreed, 29 percent somewhat disagreed, and 25 percent strongly disagreed. About 18 percent were undecided or declined to answer. The publication notes these figures and presents them in an infographic accompanying the article to illustrate the spectrum of public opinion across different demographic and political groups.
olnk/PAP
Source: wPolityce