The increase in the density of irregular migrants at the Poland-Belarus border and the death of a Polish soldier on June 6, who was stabbed in the chest by an irregular migrant at the Belarus border, have led to an increase in anti-migrant sentiment in the country.
Polish farmers have resorted to an unprecedented measure against migrants from Middle Eastern, Asian, and North African countries who are trying to cross the European Union border via Belarus.
Farmer organizations have begun systematically dumping pig manure in the border region.
"THEY WILL STAY AWAY DUE TO THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS"
Damian Murawiec, a representative of the National Farmers' Protest Movement (OOPR), which is supported by farmers dissatisfied with government policies in Poland, said, "If we use pig manure, migrants will stay away from this area due to their religious beliefs. Pig manure will cause them to not want to pass through these areas."
Speaking to the Polish press, a farmer named Hubert Ojdana said, "The point that needs to be underlined here is that we are not dumping the pig manure along the fence at the border. We are creating a strip away from the fence. What we are doing is completely legal, and we have obtained the necessary permits."
According to Polish authorities, the number of attempts to cross the border through irregular means has exceeded 17 thousand since the beginning of the year.
Polish officials claim that irregular migrants are being directed by Russia and Belarus to destabilize the European Union. Officials blame Russia for the influx of migrants, alleging that 90 percent of the migrants arriving at the Polish border hold Russian visas.
Ugly move by farmers. They dumped pig manure at the border against Muslim migrantshttps://t.co/NnJ28lW3uI pic.twitter.com/WHqxgboaZ7
— 12punto (@12puntocomtr) June 18, 2024
News Source: İHA
