Mateusz Krępa (CMR, UW) Discusses Polish-Belarusian Border Crisis and Migrant Return Systems: Insights from Media Appearances and Public Debates, June-July 2024.
Mateusz Krępa in the talk show “Debata Polityczna” (‘Political Debate’) in Polsat News Polityka, talking to the journalist Karolina Olejak, 13 June 2024. Source: Own archive.
Mateusz Krępa, from the Centre of Migration Research (CMR), University of Warsaw, and a partner in the Horizon Europe GAPs team, actively engaged with the media to discuss recent developments at the Polish-Belarusian border and Poland's migrant return system. He addressed issues such as changes in the assistance for Ukrainian citizens in Poland and public sentiment towards migrants. His appearances included radio programs like Radio Lublin, Trójka – Program Trzeci Polskiego Radia, and Radio Nowy Świat, as well as television talk shows on Polsat News Polityka and public broadcaster TVP INFO.
During these media engagements, Mateusz elaborated on the situation at the border, especially following recent violent incidents and escalating public concern, such as the tragic death of a Polish soldier. He explained the operational aspects of Poland's return system, focusing on procedures for irregular migrants and rejected asylum seekers. Mateusz also highlighted the GAPs project, sharing preliminary findings on the return of migrants from Poland to their countries of origin. The escalation of events in June has further intensified the public debate on irregular migration, making these discussions particularly relevant.
In addition to his media appearances, Mateusz was interviewed by the national newspaper Dziennik Gazeta Prawna on the topic "Polish-Belarusian border. Political theatre wins out over substantive discussion." In response to journalist Karolina Wójcicka’s question on how Poland should address hybrid threats from Moscow and Minsk while upholding humanitarian obligations, Mateusz emphasized the need for compliance with legal frameworks.
He referenced criticisms from administrative courts about the actions of the Border Guard, explaining that individuals were turned back at the border in a manner not compliant with regulations. As clarified by lawyer Maciej Grzeskowiak, European Court of Human Rights rulings state that people can only be turned back if they crossed the border unlawfully but had an opportunity to apply for asylum at a border crossing. He pointed out that while Polish law allows for applications within the country, the near non-functionality of border crossings with Belarus makes it unrealistic to expect migrants to reach such points, and their applications might not even be accepted.
Moreover, in an interview, Mateusz detailed how the returns of people who crossed the EU border irregularly should be processed, explaining that expressing the will to apply for asylum changes the situation of the person and influences whether detention can be imposed. He also clarified the rules and consequences of the Dublin Regulation. These insights contributed to a better understanding of the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border, which remains a highly securitized and emotionally charged topic with a shortage of reliable, fact-based arguments.
The information Mateusz shared was based on the findings from Working Package 2 (WP2) of the Polish GAPs team, which focused on the legal framework of returns in Poland. WP2 explored the legal and policy infrastructures that should guide state practices, as discussed during his interview. Further details on these findings can be accessed through the report titled Legal and Policy Infrastructures of Returns in Poland, available on the GAPs project website here.
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