Poland Urges Illegal Migrants To Turn Back To Belarus Via SMS - Reports

Polish authorities have been notifying illegal migrants through SMS that the border with Poland is closed, urging them to return to Minsk and advising them against accepting any pills from the Belarusian military, the Delfi news portal reported Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2021) Polish authorities have been notifying illegal migrants through SMS that the border with Poland is closed, urging them to return to Minsk and advising them against accepting any pills from the Belarusian military, the Delfi news portal reported Wednesday.

"The Polish border is sealed. BLR (Belarusian) authorities told you lies. Go back to Minsk! Don's take any pills from Belarusian soldiers," the message received by a Latvian woman who crossed the Polish border reads, as quoted in the report.

Warsaw recently claimed that the Belarusian side has been providing migrants with methadone and other narcotic substances saying it would help hem cross the border.

The message also had a link to a government website with information in several languages for migrants, containing warnings that the border is heavily guarded and illegal crossing is a crime.

Additionally, the website recommends that they should not take part in "illegal border crossings organized by Belarus."

Later in the day, Polish border guards reported that Belarus has been allegedly distributing military uniforms to illegal migrants to confuse the guards and stage another provocation.

In recent months, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland have reported an influx of undocumented migrants trying to cross into the EU from Belarus and accused Minsk of facilitating illegal migration in order destabilize the bloc in retaliation for sweeping sanctions.

Poland declared a state of emergency near the border due to the surge of migrants, set to expire on October 2. It can be extended by presidential order and polls show that a majority of Polish citizens support the decision.