Result Statement: ‘Don’t bow to Belarus’ | What you say

Belarusian dictator Lukashenko would collect the migrants from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan and then send them to the borders with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. A large majority thinks this reading is correct. Also, almost all voters believe that Lukashenko is using this crisis to destabilize the EU.

One respondent: “Of course, because he knows that the EU will eventually give in and fight among themselves about who will take care of all those people.” Another voter argues in favor of not admitting migrants who have entered via the Belarusian route and who have applied for asylum in advance.

Poland eventually accuses Putin of being behind the crisis. A majority of respondents also believe this. A number of voters feel held hostage by the Russian leader. “If this escalates, it will have consequences for our gas supply. We should be less sensitive to that.” Another says: “If we stop importing gas from the Russians, we won’t have these kinds of problems.”

The EU announces new sanctions against Belarus. Three quarters of the respondents do not think that the Belarusian dictator will succumb to this. Many are calling for the Belarusian leader to tighten the thumbscrews. “No air traffic, expel the ambassadors and stop all money flows, otherwise such a dictator will not understand,” it sounds.

Meanwhile, the thousands of migrants sit in the cold in the forest. Two thirds of respondents think that the EU will come to the rescue for humanitarian reasons. “We can’t let them in, but maybe we can help on the spot,” someone suggests. And another says: “If there are deaths, it is Belarus and Russia’s fault, not the Poles.” Although it is a humanitarian crisis, we must not be blackmailed, is the tenor among the participants.

Some are gloomy about the course of the crisis. They are afraid that this will lead to a war. One participant even calls it an act of war: “This is clearly an action by Putin, who is doing everything he can to destabilize the West. Not only with this refugee crisis, but also because of all the hacker and troll attacks. This alone could justify striking by NATO.”

Respondents are divided on whether Europe should quickly form its own army to be able to act in crises such as this. Half of the participants think so, the other half think so. A large majority of the participants would like to see more money for border security in Europe.

The migrant crisis is now good news for Poland, most think, because it distracts from the abortion and gay laws in that country, which are frowned upon by Brussels. “The EU must help Poland to guard its external borders. But if the EU helps Warsaw, they won’t be able to stand up to the anti-democratic winds that blow there,” someone analyzes.

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