Disinfo: Poland needs to restore balance in relations with Belarus to solve migration crisis

Summary

The only reasonable proposal [to solve the migration crisis] is to try to take preventive measures that would completely eliminate this unpleasant picture of people wandering on the Polish-Belarusian border. This cannot be done without restoring the balance in relations with Minsk.

Disproof

Recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets about the migration situation on the EU-Belarus borders.

The claim that Poland does not want to solve the migration crisis on the border with Belarus through diplomatic tools is ungrounded. The Polish Government stays in contact with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya as she is perceived as a legitimate representative of the Belarusian society (unlike Alexander Lukashenka, who has lost all the political legitimacy).

The developments on the border, bringing irregular migrants and forcing them to try forceful entry into EU, were caused by Belarus as a response to EU sanctions imposed on Minsk for its oppressive measures against the political opposition. There is plenty of evidence that the Belarusian authorities have instigated the ongoing irregular migration flows to the EU borders via Belarus.

The president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said that situation on the EU-Belarusian border is not a bilateral issue of Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Belarus but a hybrid attack against the whole EU. The vice-president of the European Commission and high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy (HRVP) Josep Borrell stressed that responsibility for the migration crisis falls on the Lukashenka regime.

See our earlier articles on the Belarus migration situation here and here.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 267
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 16/11/2021
  • Article language(s) Polish
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Poland, Belarus
  • Keywords: Migration crisis, Alexander Lukashenko, Refugees
see more

Disinfo: Poland inspired the border crisis with Belarus in order to fight the Nord Stream 2

The border crisis [with Belarus] was manually created by the ruling team of Kaczyński, Duda and Morawiecki. The first goal of this crisis is the consolidation of the PiS electorate in a situation of the falling party ratings and recent protests.

The second goal in the inspiration of the border crisis is to underline the importance of Poland as a Western and American outpost in Eastern Europe. The border crisis is important for the Polish authorities also in the context of the failure of the large-scale propaganda and political activities aimed at disrupting the construction of the Nord Stream 2. The Polish authorities were the vanguard of the “crusade” against this gas pipeline, which ended in disaster. Today, they need to present some “success story” [in terms of the Nord Stream 2].

Disproof

Recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets about the migration crisis on the EU-Belarus borders.

The claim that Poland “manually created” the migration crisis in order to fight with the Nord Stream 2 and reach its domestic and international goals is ungrounded.

Disinfo: Migration crisis can become a turning point in the EU history, its collapse is incoming

The EU is facing a financial and ideological crisis. It has insufficient money to accommodate migrants. It also failed to integrate migrants who arrived in the EU in the past. The EU fails to do what it preaches when it comes to liberal values and openness to migrants. The EU also proved that it cannot live peacefully with Belarus – for many years it has been trying to swallow it, either promising benefits for being loyal in conflict with Moscow or introducing strict sanctions. The current crisis the EU faces can become a turning point after which, if not a collapse, then a degradation is probable. The EU will either degrade and turn into a ghetto of migrants or will undergo a serious cultural transformation.

Disproof

Recurrent pro-Kremlin claim and disinformation about EUs imminent collapse.

This publication obfuscates the actual reasons behind EU sanctions against the Belarusian regime and promotes recurring disinformation narratives about Western attempts to disrupt Belarusian-Russian relations, about the decadent EU and its imminent disintegration, and the ongoing migration situation on the eastern border of the European Union with Belarus.

Disinfo: NATO is implementing permanent provocations near Crimea

NATO is implementing permanent provocations near the southern borders of Russia in the Black Sea, near the coast of Crimea. Russia is very concerned about the activities of NATO, the US and some other countries of the region. During the exercises, NATO is simulating attacks to targets of the “potential enemy” (it means, Russia).

Disproof

Recurring disinformation about NATO and its activities in the Black Sea.

NATO is not planning provocations against Russia. It is a defensive alliance, whose purpose is to protect its member states. The primary aim of the alliance is to maintain peace and safeguard the independence, security and territorial integrity of its members. NATO follows strict procedures and emphasises transparency during military training exercises, which are announced months in advance and are subject to international scrutiny.