Concerns rise as Poland extends state of emergency, blocking aid access and depicting migrants as threats.

Concerns are escalating over Poland’s handling of migrants stranded at its border with Belarus, as the Polish government ignored both domestic and international criticism to extend a state of emergency. The move comes amid the rising number of migrant deaths, with at least five reported so far.

Poland has responded to the situation by deploying thousands of troops to the border, constructing a razor-wire fence, and maintaining a strict 3km-wide exclusion zone. The extension of the state of emergency means that journalists and aid organizations remain barred from entering the area, exacerbating fears about the safety of the migrants trapped in the zone.

European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, met with Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Kamiński on Thursday, but no progress was made regarding EU calls for monitors from the Frontex border force to be allowed in. Poland’s government continues to frame the migrants as a security threat, fueling the growing tensions.