"We can solemnly declare that we have achieved something that once seemed only a dream—in the first quarter of 2026, not a single person managed to cross the Polish-Belarusian border illegally," Tusk said during a meeting with border guards in the town of Otwock near Warsaw.
Tusk said the eastern border, which he called Poland's most critical frontier, had seen about 12,000 illegal crossings in 2023.
He attributed the improvement to a combination of reduced migratory pressure, upgraded physical barriers and enhanced training of Border Guard personnel.
"These efforts have allowed us to build a system that has made Poland’s eastern border the best-protected external border of the European Union," he said.
Tusk argued that effective border controls were key to maintaining humanitarian standards.
"Only effective border protection allows us to avoid situations we want to avoid—situations where force is needed," he said.
The prime minister also pledged continued financial support for border security.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the government has allocated about PLN 3 billion (EUR 700 million, USD 820 million) to strengthen the border and upgrade law enforcement capabilities.
He said the Border Guard has expanded from about 15,000 officers to nearly 17,000, with plans to add another 3,000 in the coming years.
Border Guard chief Gen. Robert Bagan said the Polish-Belarusian border was now "100-percent secure,” adding that migratory pressure had shifted toward the border with Lithuania.
He told reporters that while infrastructure improvements were important, "the most essential element is the human factor," praising officers as highly skilled professionals.
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Source: IAR, PAP, TVP Info