Polish activists criticize Tusk's government for tough border policies and migrant pushbacks
Refugee rights activists are criticizing Poland’s pro-European Union government for plans to tighten security at the border with Belarus
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Refugee rights activists on Monday criticized Poland's pro-European Union government for plans to tighten security at the border with Belarus and for continuing a policy initiated by predecessors of pushing migrants back across the border there.
The activists organized an online news conference after Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk made his first visit to the border area since he took office in December. Tusk met Saturday in that eastern region with border guards, soldiers and police, and vowed that Poland would spare no expense to strengthen security.
Tusk said Belarus was escalating a “hybrid war” against the EU, using migrants to put pressure on the border. He cited Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine as another reason for further fortifying the border between NATO member Poland and Belarus, a repressive state allied with Russia.
“During the press conference, he didn’t mention people or human lives at all,” said Anna Alboth with Grupa Granica, a Polish group that has been helping migrants in eastern Poland.
