Belarus has more than 10,000 migrants from conflict-torn countries hoping to join the European Union (EU), the Polish border guard estimates.
The regime of the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, is deliberately helping migrants reach the Belarusian border with Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, Tomasz Praga said.
Over the weekend, the Polish border guard found increased activity on the Belarusian side of the border. On Saturday, the Polish border guard forced 215 illegal migrants to return to Belarus, but on Sunday 152 and on Monday morning 59, Prague revealed.
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Judging by the interviews with migrants, a large proportion of them want to go to Germany or France.
“Many say they want to join their brothers, sisters or family and did not know that Poland and the border were still on the way,” Praga said.
The governments of Latvia, Lithuania and Poland believe that the Belarussian regime is deliberately facilitating the flow of migrants to the EU.
Mr Lukashenko himself said in May that he would resort to such sanctions in response to EU sanctions against Belarus.
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