The Polish parliament has passed a law that grants law enforcement agencies the authority to use military weapons to deter illegal migrants. The amendments to the Law on the Activities of the Army and Services were approved by the Polish Sejm and reported by TVN24, a Polish publication. The new law allows army, police, and border guard representatives to use firearms and coercive measures when faced with attacks on their life, health, or freedom. The Polish government states that these amendments are necessary to ensure national security and protect the country’s eastern borders from the increasing number of illegal migrants. The use of combat weapons will be limited to exceptional cases when other deterrence methods fail.

These expanded powers were a response to the deteriorating situation on the Polish-Belarusian border, which has experienced an influx of migrants, particularly from the Middle East. An incident on May 28, 2024, heightened the tensions when a group of approximately 50 migrants attempted to illegally cross the border. During the attack, a border guard and a Polish soldier were stabbed, and the migrants continued to behave aggressively, assaulting the injured soldier and the border guard providing assistance. Unfortunately, the stabbed officer passed away a few days later in a military hospital in Warsaw. Additionally, in late March and early April, three Polish border guards were detained for shooting into the ground as a group of migrants attempted to cross the border from Belarus. These incidents have sparked controversy, with President Andrzej Duda condemning the detention of the soldiers and demanding an explanation.

ملخص الأخبار

• The law removes liability for using firearms when the state border’s inviolability is threatened.
• The armed forces can use combat weapons if other deterrence methods fail in exceptional cases.
• An incident on May 28, 2024, resulted in the death of a Polish soldier and sparked tension at the Polish-Belarusian border.