Poland has been accused of illegally returning migrants for several weeks. Amnesty International claims to have evidence. According to this survey 32 people were returned to Belarus, in contradiction with European rules.
Amnesty International Europe Director Eve Geddie says “this situation is entirely due to Poland which detains people in difficult conditions, without any support“. She adds that the Polish authorities do not allow migrants to be met, nor to benefit from an individual follow-up of their asylum request. Eve Geddie calls on the EU to act”quickly and firmly to resolve this issue“.
For the European Commissioner in charge of Home Affairs, Belarus should also be pointed out, which transfers migrants to member states. Ylva Johansson points out that it is “important that we remain united to protect our external borders and stand firm against Alexander Lukashenko“.
Human rights defenders urge Polish authorities to put aside political questions to respond to the emergency. “The government does not provide humanitarian aid, nor does it allow NGOs to provide on-site support.“, laments lawyer Marta Gorczyńska.
Euronews contacted Polish MEP Anna Zalewska (CRE) for further clarification. By email she underlines that “the migratory wave in Eastern Europe is the result of an initiative led by Alexandre Loukachenko and Vladimir Poutine”. The elected conservative assures us that “anyone crossing the Polish border is treated according to international rules and agreements”.
To discuss this situation, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs is meeting her Polish counterpart this Thursday in Warsaw.
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