Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Saturday announced plans to temporarily suspend the right to asylum. The move aims to limit the number of people crossing the country's border with Belarus and seek refuge in the European Union.

Over the past three years, Poland — a NATO member and EU state — has accused Belarus and Russia of helping thousands of migrants, mainly from the Middle East and Africa, to try to enter to country via the EU's eastern flank. Warsaw has labeled it a "hybrid attack."

What did Donald Tusk say?

Polish news agency PAP reported that Tusk told a party congress of his liberal Civic Coalition (KO) that his government plans a new migration strategy to help wage a "merciless" fight against illegal immigration.

"I'm saying loud and proud that our migration strategy will include the temporary suspension of the right to asylum on our territory," he added.

The prime minister didn't expand on the plans, but vowed that "the state must regain 100% of the control over who enters and leaves Poland." 

Tusk pointed to the alleged misuse of the right to asylum "by [Belarusian President Alexander] Lukashenko, by [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, by smugglers, human smugglers, human traffickers." which he said was "completely contrary to the actual essence of the right to asylum."

Tusk, who is the former president of the European Council — the Brussels-based body that steers the EU's political direction — added that Warsaw would also "demand recognition in Europe for this decision."

Referring to the bloc's new asylum and migration pact, which seeks to establish a bloc-wide asylum policy, he warned: "We are not going to respect or apply any European idea that... hinders our security."

Poland and the Czech Republic this week demanded tougher restrictions than those laid out in the new EU pact, which is due to take effect in 2026.

Tusk said he would present his migration strategy to the Cabinet on Tuesday, telling delegates that "we will reduce illegal migration in Poland to a minimum."

Migration crisis on Belarusian-Polish border

Poland has faced increasing pressure from undocumented migrants on its border with Belarus since 2021. 

Successive Polish governments have accused Belarus and Russia of luring migrants to the shared border and attempting to destabilize the EU. Minsk and Moscow have rejected the accusations.

European officials have described how Belarusian travel agents and some Middle Eastern airlines have advertised tours to Belarus and falsely promoted seamless entry into the EU.

The migrants would then fly into Belarus and be given instructions on how to reach the Belarusian-Polish border to enter the EU.

Some migrants say they were even given wire cutters and axes to cut through border fences.

Between August and December 2021, Warsaw recorded thousands of unauthorized attempts to cross the joint border. Several people have died. Since last spring, the number of attempted crossings has again been rising.

Tusk has pursued a tough policy towards migration since he took office in December 2023, largely following the course set by the previous nationalist government. The strategy has won broad public support but has frustrated rights groups who had hoped his administration would be more welcoming of migrants.

In May, Poland said it was setting aside €2.3 billion ($2.52 billion) to reinforce its border with Belarus.

mm/dj (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)