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State of emergency reduces risk of provocations on border with Belarus: def min

“I believe that the threat of provocations has significantly decreased after the introduction of a state of emergency in the border zone with Belarus,” said Mariusz Błaszczak, Poland’s Defence Minister.

Referring to the upcoming Zapad-2021 Russian-Belarusian manoeuvers that take place near the Polish border, the minister said that “we cannot rule out a provocation scenario because it has been used before.”

“We are prepared and our preparation is deterrence. There are military units located to the east of the Vistula river and we are in contact with the North Atlantic Alliance,” the minister said.

“I think that after the introduction of a state of emergency in the border zone with Belarus, the risk of provocations has also decreased significantly, but it must be remembered that Russia is pursuing an aggressive policy,” he added.

A state of emergency has been in force since Thursday in the border zone with Belarus, that is, in part of the Podlaskie and Lubelskie provinces. It pertained to 183 towns and was introduced for 30 days under the ordinance of President Andrzej Duda, issued at the request of the Council of Ministers. Government officials justify the need to introduce a state of emergency with the situation on the border with Belarus, where the Alyksandr Lukashenka regime is waging a “hybrid war” and with the Russian Zapad military exercises, which will begin on September 10.

Earlier in September, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki warned against potential provocations from Belarus and Russia and reported that explosions had been heard on the Belarusian side, close to the Polish border.

On Monday evening, the majority of the lower house, the Sejm, did not support the resolution abolishing the state of emergency as unjustified by the situation in the country. According to the constitution, a state of emergency may be introduced when, in situations of particular threats, constitutional measures are insufficient.

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