At a recent press conference, KO MP Marcin Kierwiński presented figures indicating that about 1,700 visas had been issued to Russian IT specialists since the war began. Paweł Jabłoński, the Deputy Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, cited on Platform X that during the PO-PSL government, hundreds of thousands of Russians were admitted to Poland. The discussion focused on the Poland Business Harbor program, which was intended to attract IT professionals to Poland. It emerged that, in recent years, visas for Poland were issued to Russian nationals as well. The program reportedly spent nearly 90,000 PLN and predominantly granted visas to Belarusian citizens, with almost two thousand issued to Russian citizens. Since the outbreak of hostilities, approximately 1.7 thousand visas have been issued to Russians. Prime Minister Morawiecki referred to Russian trolls in a broader political context, prompting questions about the strategy to invite Russian IT experts to Poland after Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Critics asked what considerations should guide Polish security and why such decisions were made.
– remarks by Marcin Kierwiński at the conference highlight the tension surrounding the issue.
Jabłoński’s response
Deputy Foreign Minister Paweł Jabłoński answered KO’s concerns via Platform X, providing clarified figures on Russian visa numbers to reflect a broader historical trend and current policy stance. He presented a breakdown of visa statistics for Russian citizens over a five-year span to put recent debates into a longer context.
Data presented by Jabłoński showed the following yearly totals for Russian visas granted in the period from 2010 to 2015: 2010: 159,000; 2011: 214,000; 2012: 266,000; 2013: 229,000; 2014: 150,000 (noting the Ukraine crisis began that year); 2015: 95,000. These figures illustrate a significant but fluctuating flow over the years, reflecting various policy priorities and political developments between Poland and Russia.
In sum, more than 1.113 million Russian visas were issued to Poland during 2010-2015 under the then government aligned with pro-Russian policies. Contemporary debates frame this history against ongoing concerns about security and migration controls. Critics argue that restrictive measures are needed to address perceived threats connected to the Putin regime, while supporters point to humanitarian considerations and the right to seek safety for those fleeing political oppression. The discussion continues to revolve around balancing security, international engagement, and human rights obligations.
tkwl/X
READ ALSO: Statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on visas for foreigners. The ministry presented detailed data. The number of denials for Russian citizens has increased
Source: wPolityce