Soldiers detained for firing warning shots at the borderSoldiers detained for firing warning shots at the border. Morawiecki: ‘Stop this madness, you are like pyromaniacs’

As Onet reports, the Gendarmerie has detained three soldiers who fired warning shots at advancing migrants on the Polish-Belarusian border. The prosecution has charged the two military officers with exceeding their powers and endangering the lives of others. ‘Stop this madness, you are like pyromaniacs who set fire to their own house,’ former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki reacted to the reports.

The incident described was said to have occurred in late March/early April this year, near Dubicze Cerkiewne, where later, in late May, a soldier was severely wounded in the abdomen.

The pressure of migrants is getting stronger. On this day, a group of about 50 people have made their way through the fence to the Polish side. They are young men aged 20-30, a large proportion of them with Caucasian facial features. - Bearded, experienced in fighting. This can be recognised by the characteristic ‘cauliflowers’ on their ears,’ says a Polish military officer who serves on the border in an interview with Onet. - There were young soldiers on the other side. When the refugees cross the border, the Polish soldiers start shooting upwards. Several warning shots are fired, in accordance with the law of the use of weapons. This does not help. The refugees step forward. More warning shots are fired. The migrants continue to push forward. Finally, the soldiers, in self-defence, start shooting at the ground in front of them

— we read.

A total of 43 bullets were fired by the soldiers at the time. The ricochets go into the fence. The migrants eventually retreat. Once the situation is under control, the Border Guard steps in. However, its officers do not thank the soldiers for driving the migrants away, but instead report to the Military Police

— describes Onet.

The course of the incident was confirmed by the press office of the Ministry of Defence. The detained soldiers of the 1st Warsaw Armoured Brigade are free on bail, but are charged with exceeding their powers and endangering the lives of others. By a decision of the prosecutor, they are also suspended from duty.

Onet also quotes a soldier’s account, according to which ‘three men from the battalion were taken out in handcuffs like bandits’, two were prosecuted and were released from custody thanks to a collection by their battalion mates to pay for a lawyer. The Onet interviewee accuses the commanders of not being interested in helping the soldiers.

‘You are like pyromaniacs’.

Law and Justice politicians, but also publicists, do not hide their indignation. Former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, among others, posted a strong comment.

Stop this madness, you are like pyromaniacs who set fire to their own house.

An important remark was made in this context by PiS MP Michał Dworczyk.

And that is why we demand that the government changes the law so that soldiers can be sure that the state stands behind them and they are safe defending the border!

As the former head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister stressed earlier, Border Guard officers and soldiers must be confident that their health and lives are protected when defending the Polish border. Three demands were put forward today to increase the ability of border guards and soldiers to react quickly! These include equipping soldiers with means of direct restraint.

Tłum. K.J.