In the latest issue of the weekly „Sieci”, Minister Mariusz Kaminski explains the situation on the Polish border with Belarus.

He notes that „Putin is now testing how tough our state is”.

The more weakness we show now, the more brutal the interference in our affairs in the future. Russia has always relied on the weakness of the West. We must show our determination

— stresses the coordinator of special services.

Lukashenko and Putin will lose this war

In an interview entitled “Lukashenko and Putin will lose this war”, Mariusz Kaminski, minister coordinator of special services, in a conversation with Jacek Karnowski and Marek Pyza, comments on Putin and Lukashenko’s game in which our eastern neighbours are trying to use migrants as a tool of influence.

Perhaps Lukashenko hopes that in this way he will force the European Union to lift sanctions, to recognise him as a legitimate president. But what is more important here is Putin, who would like to have control over the migrant flow, to be able to turn the tap on and off as he pleases. And at the same time he can hide behind the Belarusian dictator and pretend that he has nothing to do with it.

Kaminski has also drawn attention to the fact that Belarusians are still trying to attract more foreigners.

In recent days, we know that agreements have been reached on visa-free travel with more countries. These countries include Pakistan, where we have many refugees from Afghanistan, but also South Africa, from where migrants coming from other African countries can easily reach Europe, and Jordan, where we have a huge reservoir of Syrian refugees. Belarusian airlines are establishing new connections. Planes from Beirut and Damascus have started operating, and the number of incoming flights from Turkey has increased.

The minister however adds that:

[…] our tough and consistent attitude is starting to cause problems for Lukashenko. He was convinced that we, due to political correctness, would accept everyone and legalise them. As far as the citizens of Iraq are concerned, there are no grounds to grant them the status of refugees, because as for the Middle East, the situation there has been relatively stable for several years.

Ordinary Belarusians are more and more confused

Mariusz Kamiński also notes that the current situation poses a threat to Lukashenko himself.

We have information from both intelligence and diplomatic sources that ordinary Belarusians are more and more confused and worried about what is happening. They see hundreds of people from Asia and Africa in parks and on the main streets of their cities every evening.

The minister was also asked if it is true that the government will spend 500 million zlotys to erect a much more solid barrier. He replied:

Let me put it this way: we have had talks among the most important people in the state responsible for security - I am talking both about Prime Minister Morawiecki and Prime Minister Kaczynski - about building a permanent barrier that will be extremely difficult to cross. We have analysed all the models used in Europe - from Greece, to Hungary, Serbia, and Spain. We know exactly what the terrain conditions are, and the needs of the Border Guards. We are finalising technical specifications and calculations of how much it will cost. A political decision has been made to secure the appropriate resources.

How will this installation differ from the present one?

It is not only about the physical barrier. It will include a lot of electronics. The so-called perimetry is being built - a system of movement sensors with thermal imaging cameras, which immediately and precisely show how many people are gathering in which place. Firstly, it will be very difficult to cross this barrier, and secondly, at each attempt the information will immediately reach our guards who will react immediately.

• replied Mariusz Kamiński.

Tłum. K.J.