Poland’s border guards prevented migrants from attempting to break through the border. Merkel will meet with the Polish head of government. The news ticker.
- Chancellor Merkel now wants to meet the Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki (Update from November 24th, 2:20 p.m.).
- Again, three larger groups of migrants tried in vain to cross the Polish border and get into the EU (First report from November 24th, 1:19 p.m.).
- In the meantime, the Belarusian ruler Lukashenko warned of war with Poland and described this as a “catastrophe”.
- This news ticker is continuously updated.
Update from November 25th, 7:38 pm: The Executive Chancellor Angela Merkel has assured the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj of her support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine. In a telephone conversation with Selenskyj, she emphasized, according to the federal government, that “undermining them would not remain without consequences”. Both had agreed to move forward with the implementation of the Minsk agreements on conflict resolution in the Normandy format with France and Russia.
In Normandy format, Germany and France mediate between Ukraine and Russia in the conflict in the industrial region of Donbass that has been going on since 2014. However, the peace plan they agreed upon in 2015 is on hold. Moscow accuses Kiev of sabotaging its implementation. Most recently, a Normandy summit took place in Paris in December 2019. A summit planned for 2020 in Berlin never took place. UN estimates suggest that more than 13,000 people were killed in fighting between Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatists in Donbass.
In addition, Merkel and Selenskyj exchanged views on the situation on the borders between Belarus and the EU and Ukraine. Merkel had previously assured the Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki of Germany’s “full solidarity” in the conflict with Belarus over migrants at the Belarusian borders. If there was no progress in the crisis, one would have to think about further sanctions, but remain open to dialogue.
Dramatic scene at the Belarus border: migrants break through the fence – Poland takes action
Update from November 25, 10:45 a.m .: Poland’s border guards registered at least 375 attempts by migrants from Belarus to break the border barriers and enter the EU illegally. A group of 232 people damaged the border fence near the village of Czeremsza and advanced a few meters into Polish territory, said a spokeswoman for the authority on Thursday. The security forces brought the group back. Five migrants were hospitalized because of exhaustion.
According to the police, three suspected smugglers were arrested, including two Ukrainians and a Swede of Syrian origin. They were traveling with a total of 14 migrants. Since Poland does not allow journalists into the area, the information cannot be independently verified. From the Belarusian side, it was said that around 2,000 people are still staying near the border in an emergency shelter and are hoping to continue their journey to Germany. Many people now need medical help, for example because of colds, reported the state news agency Belta.
Belarus conflict: Macron demands press access to the border – Tichanovskaya demands “more decisive action”
Update from November 24th, 3:20 p.m .: In view of the crisis surrounding migrants at the EU’s external border, French President Emmanuel Macron has called for journalists to have free access to the Polish side of the border. The Elysée Palace announced on Wednesday after Macron’s meeting with Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. Poland does not currently allow journalists to enter the border area.
Macron also reiterated solidarity with Poland in the face of the destabilization of the border. France is ready to make a contribution to general security and supports a humanitarian operation on the ground, said the Elysée Palace. In addition, the question of the rule of law was a topic of discussion. Macron had expressed concern and urged Poland to comply with EU law.
Morawiecki said he had spoken to Macron about the fears associated with several actions taking place at the same time, the PAP news agency reported. “On the one hand, of course, this is the situation on our eastern border, which is at the same time the eastern border of NATO (…) and the EU. By defending it, we are defending the EU. ”The other is the concentration of Russian army units on the border with Ukraine and blackmailing over the price of gas. “All of these actions should lead to an answer – and this answer is the solidarity of the EU.”
Update from November 24th, 3:15 p.m .: The Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tichanovskaya has called on the EU to take more decisive action against the ruler Alexander Lukashenko. “We need a more active European approach when it comes to autocracy,” said Tichanovskaya on Wednesday in a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg. At the same time, she welcomed the sanctions imposed by the EU on those around Lukashenko.
“Let me assure you: sanctions work. Stick to a consistent sanctions policy,” said the exiled opposition leader. “Sanctions divide the elites, destroy corruption plans and divide the people around Lukashenko.” She called for more support for the opposition in Belarus, including the media and human rights activists. “People must feel that they are not being left in the lurch,” said Tichanovskaya. According to her, statements in which the European Union expresses its “deep concern” are not sufficient.
At the beginning of the week, Tichanovskaya called on the EU governments to refrain from “any contact” with Lukashenko. The Belarusian leadership must first meet important demands of the opposition before a “real dialogue” can take place, she said on Monday. She also criticized the phone calls that Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) made with Lukashenko last week because of the refugee crisis.
Belarus crisis: Chancellor Merkel will meet with the Polish head of government – “Germany’s full solidarity”
Update from November 24th, 2:20 p.m .: The Executive Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) wants to discuss the situation of migrants on the Belarusian-Polish border at a meeting in Berlin with Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki this Thursday. The government spokesman Steffen Seibert announced on Wednesday in Berlin. The Federal Government is aware that Poland is “extremely challenged” by the situation on the border – as are other countries with a border with Belarus. “But Poland is hit particularly hard.” Merkel phoned Morawiecki last week to promise him “Germany’s full solidarity”. This will also be the focus of the conversation on Thursday.
The German government and the other EU member states wanted good humanitarian conditions to be created for the people along the Polish-Belarusian border, said Seibert. In addition, there must be access for the UN refugee agency UNHCR and for the International Organization for Migration. These should not only be able to provide acute help locally, but also help to bring people back to their home countries “in a safer way”. Everything that happens along the border has to be in accordance with the applicable law, emphasized Seibert.
Belarus conflict: Polish border guards foiled border breakthrough – “aggressive migrants” throw stones at Polish officials
First report from November 24th, 2 p.m .: Thousands of migrants are still on the eastern EU * external border between Poland and Belarus *. The refugees hope to be accepted into the European Union. There are also repeated attempts to breach the border, which the Polish border guards have so far been able to stop. So did on Tuesday evening (November 23) According to the Polish border guards, three large groups of migrants tried in vain to overcome the border barriers from Belarus and enter the EU illegally. A soldier was injured in the head and had to be treated, a spokeswoman for the authority said on Wednesday.
In the vicinity of Dubicze Cerkiewne, a group of more than 100 people tried to penetrate into Polish territory. “These people were very aggressive, they threw stones at Polish officials, threw a boardwalk on the barbed wire barricade, migrants cut through parts of the barrier,” said the spokeswoman. The group managed to get to the Polish side in the short term. But they were arrested and taken back to the border.
Two more attempted border breaches occurred near the town of Mielnik, where groups of around 30 migrants tried to cross the border in the evening and shortly before midnight. The border guards registered a total of 267 attempts to illegally cross the border. Since Poland does not allow journalists into the area, the information cannot be verified.
Lukashenko: ruler says war with Poland would be a catastrophe and relies on Europe giving in – “we are not barbarians”
Meanwhile, the authoritarian Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko * warned of war with Poland. This would be a “catastrophe”, said Lukashenko: “We have to convey to the Poles, every Pole, that we are not barbarians. We don’t want a confrontation, we can’t need it. Because we know that if we overdo it, a war is inevitable and that would be a catastrophe. “
At the same time, Belarusian President Lukashenko is counting on Europe to give in. He criticizes the European Union for not wanting to take in the refugees at the border. Previously, he claimed several times that the Executive Chancellor Angela Merkel had promised him that she would examine the situation at EU level. In addition, the Belarusian leadership referred to Merkel as a “humanitarian corridor to Germany”. This claim has been denied by the federal government. (bb with material from dpa) * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
List of rubric lists: © Leonid Shcheglov
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