Written by Barbara Erling, Kuba Stizecki, and Kakper Pimple
BIALOVIZA, Poland (Reuters) – Dozens of people gathered near a fence along the border with Belarus, surrounded by dense forest, waiting for a chance to climb over it or push aside its slats to head west into Poland.
On the other side, border guards and armed Polish soldiers were walking and driving back and forth, keeping a close eye on the group, most of which were young men from the Middle East, some of whom had been wounded by pieces of sharp wire.
Tensions over migration are rising across Europe, as far-right parties calling for tougher controls against centrist movements face off in the European Parliament elections, taking place in Poland on Sunday.
Here, this confrontation has an additional geopolitical advantage. Poland and the European Union have accused Belarus and Russia of trying to spread chaos since 2021 by pushing migrants across the border in what Warsaw calls a “hybrid war.” Minsk and Moscow have denied these accusations.
The number of arrivals has increased recently, according to Polish government figures. This week, Poland saw what it considers a lost war when a soldier patrolling the border succumbed to his wounds in a confrontation with migrants on May 28.
In response, Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist pro-EU government announced plans to re-establish a no-go zone along the border.
Polish Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski told Reuters, “This border is not safe, unfortunately. The purpose of this zone is to ensure that no one is subjected to the type of attack to which Polish soldiers are subjected.”
Over the fence
Back at the fence on Monday, the group remained waiting. Ahmed Libak, 24, from Aleppo, Syria, said he had been there for more than a month. His brother had surrendered and returned to Belarus, although he has not heard from him since.
“I came from the war to find a good life,” said Ahmed, 35, an English teacher from Syria. “But I found it very difficult to cross this border.” He tried four times to climb the fence.
Under current arrangements, migrants can apply for asylum in EU member Poland once they are on Polish territory.
One of those who managed to cross the fence the next day was Noman Al-Humairi, a 24-year-old Yemeni graphic designer.
He told Reuters that in the forest on the Polish side of the border, he and others built a ladder out of wood, scraps of cloth and plastic bags and climbed over the barrier when darkness fell.
He had originally applied for a Polish student visa from Yemen, which was rejected, before traveling to Moscow, then Belarus, then the border region where he spent 22 days.
“The Belarusians arrested us,” Numan said, looking relieved, leaves still in his hair. “They beat us…then they said: Go.”
“They (the smugglers) said it was very easy… They lied to us. If I had any idea it was this way, I wouldn’t have come.”
Agata Kloczewska, who runs a local migrant support group that provides food, medicine and transportation, said the no-go zone, when enforced, would make things more difficult for migrants.
She came to the forest to help Numan and his five companions start the asylum process and inform the Border Patrol, who would take them to a processing center.
She said any return to more restrictive measures could leave more people stranded on the Belarusian side, forcing volunteers like her to return to the days when they had to go out secretly to help arriving migrants.
“The rules of the region will affect us a lot,” she said. “We're going to have to start hiding again.”