Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk speaks during a press conference in Warsaw, Poland, May 10, 2024. The Polish Prime Minister announced the resignations of four ministers and nominees for future positions in the Polish Prime Minister’s Office.
Dominika Zarzycka | Dominika Zarzycka Noor Photos | Getty Images
Poland will invest 10 billion zlotys ($2.55 billion) in an eastern border security plan to strengthen defenses against growing threats from Russia and Belarus, the country’s prime minister said on Saturday.
Poland’s border with Belarus has been a hot topic since migrants began arriving in 2021, after Russia’s close ally Minsk opened a travel agency in the Middle East offering a new unofficial route to Europe, the EU said This move is aimed at creating a crisis.
Relations between the two countries have become more tense since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, with Warsaw increasing defense spending and accusing Minsk and Moscow of trying to destabilize Poland.
“We have decided to invest 10 billion zlotys in our security, especially in a secure eastern border,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk told a press conference.
“We are embarking on a major project to build a secure border, including a system of fortifications as well as landscaping and environmental decisions, which will make it impossible for potential enemies to pass through the border.”
Tusk gave no further details on what kind of defenses would be built.
The previous government built a fence over 180 kilometers long and 5.5 meters high on the border between Poland and Belarus to prevent illegal immigration. It is supplemented by a system of cameras and sensors that monitor the border.
Tusk announced plans to strengthen the eastern border in early May but gave no details.
Tusk also said he would discuss with the European Investment Bank on Monday the financing of PLN 500 million for the satellite part of the European SkyShield project.
The European Skyshield program is a common air defense program established by Germany in 2022 to enhance European air defense capabilities. Tusk compared it to Israel’s Iron Dome system.
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