Stanisław Żaryn, the spokesman for Poland's security-services chief, stated on Thursday that Polish authorities had "evidence that migrants are being transferred to the border by Belarusian authorities.”
In an interview with public broadcaster Polish Radio, Żaryn said the situation on the frontier “has stabilised,” with no more than 200 illegal attempts to cross the border recorded each day this week.
Żaryn added that Poland was detaining people "who oversee illegal migration" on a daily basis.
“This is nothing but an attempt to build a permanent trail through Poland, with artificial pressure being piled on our country by the Belarusian authorities," he told Polish Radio.
He also said there was evidence that Belarusian officials were "involved in transporting migrants to the frontier and helping them reach Polish territory."
These migrants “are heading for the rich countries of Western Europe,” Żaryn stated.
He also said in the interview that "members of airborne forces ... strictly combat-oriented units” have been spotted on the Belarusian side.
Poland and fellow EU members Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have accused Belarus' strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko of organising a wave of illegal migrants seeking to enter the bloc, as part of what officials have called a "hybrid war."
At the start of this month, Poland's President Andrzej Duda declared a state of emergency in parts of two regions along the country's eastern border with Belarus in a bid to stem the flow of migrants from countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
The 30-day state of emergency gives authorities broader powers to monitor and control the movement of people.
(pm/gs)
Source: polskieradio.pl