State of emergency has been imposed along Poland's border area with Belarus. Local residents complain about difficulties with free movement and military presence. "Most of the country have no idea how it is here," said a local woman. Poland's Border Guard informed that 151 attempts of illegal border crossing had been prevented on Sunday alone.
A Border Guard spokeswoman Anna Michalska said the service had detained one illegal immigrant on the territory of Podlaskie province on Sunday - a citizen of Congo. The guards administered first aid to the woman, as she had injured one leg. They called an ambulance which took the Congolese woman to a hospital.
On Sunday alone, the Border Guard intercepted 151 attempts of illegal crossing of the Polish-Belarusian border. Furthermore, two people have been detained for aiding. A Syrian citizen with Polish residence permit and a Polish citizen were waiting at the border. Most likely, they were about to pick up illegal immigrants. "At the moment, the detained men are being processed. Most likely they will be charged with aiding," Michalska said.
Residents on life under emergency state
Residents of the area told TVN24 about life under the state of emergency.
"Yesterday, I was driving from Łapicze to a friend who lives in a village 5 km away, which is outside the emergency state area. During control, police officers asked me where I was going and why. I said I was going to visit friends, and they said visiting friends was not possible. Despite the fact it was outside this zone," said one of the residents. "I don't know how to interpret this. So what now - am I supposed to stay in my village and not to stick my nose out?" - he asked.
A woman named Marta, who works in an antiquarian bookstore in Krynki, said "most of the country have no idea how it is here". "For instance, I called and told my friends, who had an official business here, to make sure they got passes, as it could have gone either way and we weren't even certain what to expect, to which they said 'oh, don't you worry, it will be just fine'. After they were stopped by armed people and ordered to open their van and move things around, they were only able to say: 'bit heavy'. They're calling me just now to ask how I am," Marta said.
State of emergency in 183 towns and villages
On Thursday, September 2, Poland's President Andrzej Duda issued an ordinance introducing a state of emergency at the country's border with Belarus, that is in parts of Podlaskie and Lubelskie provinces. The ordinance has become effective immediately. The area encompasses 183 towns and villages (115 in Podlaskie and 68 in Lubelskie).
The state of emergency has been introduces on the government's request due to the situation at the border with Belarus. In a village of Usnarz Górny (Podlaskie), on Belarusian side, a group of immigrant wanting to enter Poland have been camping out for three weeks now. According to Polish authorities, these and other people have been brought to the border by Belarusian services as part of a "hybrid warfare".
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, TVN24, PAP