Why are Poland and the Baltic states strengthening their borders?
By Tural Tagiyev
Poland and the Baltic States are continuing to fortify their borders with Belarus and Russia. Lithuania has requested funds from the European Commission to strengthen its border with Russia. Minister of the Interior Agnė Bilotaitė stated, “Our priority is to strengthen the 275-kilometer border with Russia. We need to modernize the infrastructure for border monitoring.”
Estonia has announced plans to build 600 concrete bunkers on its eastern border to protect against potential threats and aggressions. Poland will spend tens of millions of dollars on modernizing fences on its border with Belarus. It's interesting to consider what drives such actions from the countries bordering Belarus and Russia.
In May, Bloomberg reported significant sums allocated by Poland for these purposes. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the allocation of 10 billion zlotys ($2.6 billion) to strengthen borders with Russia and Belarus as part of the "Eastern Shield" program. Tusk stated, “We want our border to be safe in peacetime and impregnable during wartime.” The program includes constructing new fortifications, fences, terrain alteration, and planting special forests along the 400-kilometer land border of Poland. These measures aim to protect against illegal migration and potential military invasion.
Political expert Tofiq Abbasov, in an interview with News.Az , said that strict measures to strengthen borders indicate serious processes in the region. “In the 21st century, the construction of fences and fortifications made of reinforced concrete structures and bunkers suggests that the air smells of gunpowder. Some countries have begun to take precautions after the war in Ukraine. Strengthening borders with modern methods is one of these measures. Some international organizations also financially support the strengthening of borders. Poland began this process long ago. After the mass transition of migrants from Belarus to Poland and other European countries, official Warsaw accused Minsk of organizing this flow. Similar accusations were voiced by the Baltic States.”
After the migrant crisis, serious measures were taken on the border with Belarus. Last month, similar problems arose, and the situation on the Belarus-Poland border again escalated due to the influx of migrants. The government blamed not only Belarus but also Russia, calling it part of a hybrid war. To stabilize the situation, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk decided to introduce a restricted zone along the border. After the Wagner Group rebellion and the influx of mercenaries into Belarus, large-scale preventive measures were also taken on the borders.
In short, the current border strengthening processes did not arise suddenly. Regarding Russia, strengthening borders with it may be formal. In the event of a real threat, any country, especially a superpower, can easily launch an attack. Fences and bunkers can never prevent the first strikes of a suddenly started war,” said T. Abbasov.
The expert added that along with strengthening borders, strict measures are also being taken regarding vehicles crossing borders. “Heavy trucks suffer the most. For example, on July 10, Poland suspended the registration process for trucks at the Kuźnica-Bruzgi checkpoint. This point is considered the last operational point for heavy trucks on the Belarus-Poland border. As a result, up to 600 trucks were stuck at the border. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski announced the possibility of completely closing the border between Belarus and Poland. The political analyst noted that if this measure is implemented, both sides will suffer damage.
We also observe severe accusations. The Baltic States and Poland mainly accuse Belarus of deliberately conducting abnormal policies regarding refugees. These countries are also very wary of Russia. Three days ago, the Estonian Ministry of Finance sent a plan to the government to tighten the rules for crossing the border with Russia. The press service of the Estonian Ministry of Finance stated that crossing the state border through road checkpoints in southeastern Estonia and moving goods will only be possible during the daytime. The restrictions are justified by the need to strengthen control over sanctioned goods and ensure traffic safety. Minister of Finance Mart Võrklaev stated that the revision of the operating regime at the checkpoints stems from the principle of minimizing economic relations with Russia, approved by the state of Estonia in April 2022, as well as from the sanctions policy adopted last year. In general, border tensions are not a usual phenomenon; serious political and economic factors lie behind them,” said T. Abbasov.
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