The Polish government on Friday, May 30th, announced a new campaign aimed at stopping immigration on the border with Belarus. The move comes amid ongoing tensions with Belarus and Russia, which Poland accuses of orchestrating a “hybrid operation” to create migratory pressure at the EU’s eastern frontier. Both countries deny the allegations.
“Poland protects its borders effectively. We’ve launched an information campaign in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Pakistan and Egypt that is aimed at illegal migrants,” Polish foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski stated on X.
In one of the campaign videos, a narrator speaking in Pashto warns: “If someone illegally crosses the border, they will not receive asylum.” The message continues, “Those who promised you (a) prosperous life in Europe don’t care about your happiness, they only care about your money.”
Foreign ministry spokesperson Pawel Wronski said that “the point is for people not to lose their money and health.” He noted that “we ran a similar campaign on a smaller scale last year” which involved putting up posters in airports.
