Poland's President Andrzej Duda on Tuesday said he will ask parliament to extend the state of emergency along Poland's border with Belarus for another 60 days, citing an ongoing influx of migrants.
"As soon as this motion lands at my desk, in accordance with the constitution, I will ask the Sejm to issue opinion in that regard, and approve extension of this state of emergency for 60 days, which is what the government has asked me for," President Andrzej Duda said a statement for the media on Tuesday evening, after a meeting of the National Security Bureau.
He added that the problem at the Polish-Belarusian border persisted. "It seems that extending this state of emergency for another 60 days will be justified," the president said.
He stipulated that, if only possible, the state of emergency could be called off sooner. "But it is necessary for services and military to swiftly carry out their duties, Duda said.
Unfortunately, the pressure is mounting. As Gen. Praga informs, by 5 p.m. today there have been 354 attempts to cross our border, attempts prevented. Therefore, it shows the scale of the pressure and prevention efficiency. Today, by 5 p.m. only. So far, this is a record," Andrzej Duda said.
Poland and fellow European Union states Lithuania and Latvia have reported sharp increases in the number of migrants from countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq trying to cross their borders, in what Brussels and Warsaw say is a form of hybrid warfare designed to put pressure on the EU over sanctions it imposed on Minsk.
A state of emergency involves restrictions on freedom of movement in the affected areas, including for the media and non-governmental organisations. The current measures are due to expire on October 1.
Earlier on Tuesday the Polish government said it would ask the president to extend the state of emergency, in line with the constitution. Parliament must grant the final approval, once it gets the green light from the president.
Poland declared the emergency at the start of September, but its nationalist government has faced criticism from human rights campaigners over its treatment of migrants at the frontier.
On Monday Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Kamiński said material related to Islamist extremism had been found on the phones of migrants crossing its border.
Poland's opposition and human rights groups have accused the ruling right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party in the past of stoking prejudice against immigrants for political gain.
During Europe's 2015 migrant crisis, PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński said refugees from the Middle East could bring disease and parasites to Poland.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters, PAP