Media, aid workers to be allowed into buffer zone
Poland's interior minister has announced that media and humanitarian aid workers will be granted passes to enter the buffer zone on the country's border with Belarus.
Last week, the government decided to reinstate a 200-metre-deep buffer zone at the border with Belarus to stem the inflow of illegal migrants through Belarus and Russia to Poland, and in the wake of the death of a Polish soldier stabbed by a migrant on May 28.
Tomasz Siemoniak told Polish state-owned Radio One on Wednesday that the buffer zone "is not directed against media and aid organisations" and that they will be granted permits from the Border Guard to enter the zone.
"No one will be pushed away," Siemoniak said. "The transparency of this situation is of significant importance in this instance. There is no reason to cut off this border from the media," he added.
In 2021, the former governing party, the socially conservative Law and Justice (PiS) cabinet, created a buffer zone for the same reasons. The previous buffer zone was a highly militarised and restricted area which prevented the press and humanitarian aid workers from entering.
This move drew much criticism from human rights advocates and previous opposition, now the ruling coalition, partly because of previous reports of human rights violations by the Border Guard against undocumented migrants, including women and children, that made people believe that the buffer zone would help cover up further violations. (PAP)
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