- MSF calls on the Polish authorities to urgently reconsider a ban on MSF and civil society groups accessing parts of the eastern border zone of Poland.
- Civil society groups need to operate independently and have unrestricted access to the border area, an imperative to delivering lifesaving assistance to people on the move in need.
Warsaw – Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is concerned that the Polish Ministry of Interior's new ban on accessing part of its eastern border zone near the Polish-Belarusian border will risk blocking civil society access to people seeking protection, potentially leading to life-threatening consequences for those unable to receive necessary humanitarian and medical relief.
Data collected by MSF underscores the need for medical aid beyond what the National Border Guard Search and Rescue Teams or Military Units can provide, highlighting the critical necessity for civil society access.
Despite the postponement of the ban's implementation for wider consultations and the reduction of the restricted area, the impending enforcement of the buffer zone ranging from 200 metres to two kilometres from Thursday 13 June, raises significant concerns.
The devastating consequences of restricted access in 2021 serve as a stark reminder of the importance of allowing humanitarian and civil society organisations to operate independently.
MSF calls on the Polish authorities to urgently reconsider the ban and ensure that all individuals in need can access asylum or protection procedures, humanitarian assistance, and medical care.