On Saturday, October 11 in Warsaw, there is a demonstration against illegal immigration and a deal with Mercosur. The event organized by Law and Justice attracted supporters who objected to the current migration policy.
Manifestation against illegal immigration in the heart of Warsaw
Manifestation began at one hour14Castle Square. Organizers, including politiciansRights and Justicestressed the need for border protection and opposition to the relocation of migrants in the EU. In his speech, PiS President Jarosław Kaczyński called for a firm stance against the admission of illegal migrants and criticized Donald Tusk's government for alleged manipulation of the case. Mariusz Błaszczak and other politicians stressed the need to "seal" the borders of Poland and to reject the Mercosur agreement, which they see as a threat to Polish agriculture and sovereignty.
Vice President of Law and Justice
@MorawieckiM: We cannot give them the policy that Tusk does with Germany. What we are dealing with is not just illegal immigration, it is the export of immigrants. We can't let that happen. We must thank those who created the Border Defence Movement, Polish SG officers, Polish soldiers. We owe it to them that there is no collapse of illegal immigration today. We promised to block the deal with Mercosur and we kept that word. Today's deal comes into force. This means poverty of the Polish farmer. They don't do anything to block it. We need a change of government. We have to go after Tusk. We defend Polish farmers. We do not agree to destroy Polish agriculture! The current government destroys Poland's development opportunities. They promised it would be cheaper and more expensive. Tusk said it would be safer, and more crime on the streets. They promised that it would be more stable, and there is an increasing hole in the Polish budget. They promised to develop, and they're bringing in development programs. We must proudly fight for Poland. We can't afford to take away these opportunities.#in DefencePolish#MigrantsTuska
Reasons for the protest and key demands
- Protection of Poland's borders against illegal immigration
- Opposition to relocation of migrants imposed by the EU
- Refusal to sign an agreement with Mercosur, which has a negative impact on Polish agriculture
- Criticism of the current government for lack of decisive action on migration issues
Communication difficulties in the centre of Warsaw
Manifestation caused traffic and public transport difficulties in the Old Town area. Police suggest that drivers and passengers use alternative routes. At the closure of Miodowa Street, buses of lines 116, 178, 180 and 503 run other routes, and trams of lines 4, 13, 20, 23 and 26 bypass the square across the Gdańsk Bridge. Drivers should expect difficulties by 5:00 p.m.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk on platform X assured that there would be no relocation of migrants in Poland and argued that the government's efforts to protect borders were effective. However, critics, especially with the Law and Justice, argue that the current state leadership is not enough against the migratory pressure imposed by the European Union. Manifestation was not only a social protest, but also an element of a broad political debate about the sovereignty of borders and migration policy of Poland.
