The Ministry of Interior extended the buffer zone on the Polish-Belarusian border until 5 March 2026

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On 2 December 2025 the Minister of Interior and Administration signed an ordinance extending the prohibition on staying in a 200-meters-wide area along the Polish-Belarusian border until 5 March 2026. This “buffer zone” was introduced on 12 June 2024 pursuant to Article 12a(2) of the 1990 Protection of the State Border Act, which allows for such a ban to ensure the safety of officers and soldiers along the border. Together with the restriction on applying for asylum at the Polish-Belarusian border, in effect since 27 March 2025, it reportedly aims to address continued migratory pressure from Belarus and combat migrant smuggling.

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