Poland's no-go zone in Białowieża Forest: what was announced
A restricted area on the Belarus border followed the death of a Polish soldier days earlier, and tourism worries followed.
What did Poland announce on 10 June 2024 to stop migrants crossing from Belarus? It declared a "no-go zone" in the Białowieża Forest, part of the Belarus–European Union border crisis.
The measure was aimed at preventing migrants from crossing the border from Belarus into the EU through the forest. Concerns were raised almost at once about its potential impact on tourism during the summer.
The announcement came four days after a Polish border guard soldier died on 6 June 2024. The soldier had been stabbed by a migrant who was trying to cross the EU border from Belarus.
The zone therefore combined two pressures: a push to secure the frontier and worry about the forest's visitors in the busy summer months.
