An international conference “Border Management” has been held in Vilnius. Sixteen ministers of the European Union attended it. Polish Foreign Minister Mariusz Kaminski said that Poland had accepted 15,000 political refugees from Belarus after the events of 2020.
“Before our eyes, another severe migration crisis in Europe, reminiscent of what happened in 2015, was about to erupt. The post-Soviet Lukashenka regime was driven by a desire to take revenge on Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia for the support we gave to the Belarusian opposition, with concern for political refugees. In Poland alone, after 2020, when there were big protests and repressions after rigged elections, we accommodated about 15 thousand political refugees from Belarus,” said the Minister.
Mariusz Kaminski stressed that Poland clearly distinguishes between migrants and refugees, and the latter have never been denied and will not be denied assistance:
“There is a fundamental difference between migrants and refugees. Poland will never refuse to accept a refugee, a person who for political reasons, fearing for his health and life, is forced to leave his country”.
The final report of the international conference on the management of European borders in Vilnius noted that “the security and integrity of the Schengen area cannot be threatened. The internal territory can only function effectively if the external borders are adequately protected.”
