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Poland, Belarus and a 300-metre border incursion
Summary
A Polish summons of Belarus's chargé d'affaires followed a reported crossing by Belarusian personnel, days after a border wall plan advanced.
What did Poland say Belarusian troops had done by 4 November 2021, and why did it matter? According to a Polish government spokesman, Belarusian personnel crossed into Polish territory overnight, reported on 3 November, and advanced 300 metres (980 ft) before returning across the border when a Polish patrol confronted them. Warsaw responded by summoning the Belarusian chargé d'affaires.
The episode came against the backdrop of the border crisis between Belarus and the European Union. On 29 October 2021, the Senate of Poland had approved a plan to build a wall along the country's border with Belarus, at an estimated cost of €353 million (US$407 million). The measure was a response to an influx of migrants.
Two steps in a week
Taken together, the two developments showed Poland acting on two tracks: a physical barrier approved by the Senate, and a diplomatic protest after the reported incursion. The Polish account placed the Belarusian personnel only a short distance inside the border, and said they withdrew once a patrol confronted them.
The summoning of a chargé d'affaires, rather than an ambassador, was the diplomatic channel Warsaw used in this case.
