The 79% increase, reported by the Dziennik Gazeta Prawna (DGP) daily on Tuesday, owes much to the Belarusian government’s organized trafficking operations, which aim to destabilize the EU by funneling migrants to Poland’s eastern border.
In the first six months of this year, the number of applications for international protection reached 5,800 – an increase of 3,400, DGP reported.
Data from Poland’s Office for Foreigners indicates that many of the applicants entered the country through Belarus, the media outlet said.
Compared to 2023, there has also been a noticeable rise in applications from people from African countries such as Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia, as well as from Middle Eastern nations including Syria and Afghanistan.
However, the largest groups of applicants were citizens of Ukraine (1,750), Belarus (1,477), and Russia (547).
By the end of June, the Office for Foreigners processed applications for 4,700 individuals, with 3,000 meeting the criteria for international protection. The majority of these successful applicants were from Ukraine (1,248), Belarus (1,431), and Russia (117).
Polish response
Last Friday, the Polish parliament voted to allow soldiers protecting the border to use lethal weapons in case of direct threats to the country or their own security.
The move came a few weeks after a Polish soldier was fatally stabbed in the border zone with Belarus.
Two weeks ago, the Polish government announced plans to sharply increase troop numbers at the border with Belarus. It will deploy up to 17,000 soldiers in an operation starting on August 1.
There are currently around 6,000 troops stationed in a special exclusion zone by the frontier.
