The buffer zone on the border with Belarus will start operating on Thursday, June 13. In general, the restrictions will cover a stretch of about 60 kilometers. The majority of Polish citizens support the use of weapons against aggressive migrants.
The restrictions will be uneven in depth: in a section about 44 km long, the prohibited zone will cover 200 meters inland from the state border line, and in a section about 16 km long in the nature reserves zone – two kilometers from the border.
The authorities emphasize that the restrictions will mainly not apply to settlements and tourist routes, so as not to complicate the lives of local residents, tourists and businesses. The Polish Interior Ministry adds that limiting the presence of unauthorized persons in the area of official actions is aimed at maintaining security and suppressing the activities of smugglers who contribute to illegal migration.
Almost 86% of Poles believe that the military on the eastern border should be able to use weapons in case migrants attempt to cross the border by force. Such data is published by IBRiS, which conducted a survey commissioned by Rzeczpospolita.