At the border

1. Introduction and monitoring methodology
project “They are coming! How to give them
a welcome? „(Co–financed by the EEA), comprising
several independent activities aimed at
understanding those areas concerning reception
of asylum seekers in Poland which, despite
repeated examination, require improvement.
SIP carried out monitoring activities at the
border, and within its framework, examined
how well the Border Guard is prepared for a
massive influx of asylum seekers, the legality of
applicable procedures, and how well facilities
at border crossings are adapted to these regulations.
Of particular interest was access to the
asylum procedure and the procedure of refusing
the entry to Poland. This was because non–
governmental organisations have been repeatedly
informed about refusing entry to persons
who had declared the intention to apply for international
protection. The study also analysed
a number of aspects related to processing applications
for international protection and the
degree to which border crossing facilities are
adapted to meet the needs of asylum seekers.
Three border crossings were monitored:
Medyka, Terespol and Warszawa-Okęcie. The
crossing in Medyka, the largest border crossing
with Ukraine, was the subject of research
because there is potential for a massive influx
of Ukrainian citizens to Poland, as a result of
the ongoing armed conflict. Warszawa-Okęcie
was monitored as this checkpoint is likely to be
the point of reception for resettled and relocated
persons. Meanwhile, Terespol is a place
where large numbers of applications for international
protection have been regularly lodged
for many years, and where the most applications
have been rejected. NGOs have also been
receiving alarming information from this border
crossing regarding informal measures applied
by the Border Guard comprising initial
evaluation of validity of foreigners’ accounts
of persecution and refusing entry to Poland to
a significant number of persons stating they
intend to apply for international protection.
In order to conduct the study, two monitoring
teams consisting of SIP staff were formed. Due
to the nature of activities performed by each
of them, every person worked on the basis of
a distinct methodology. The common element
in both teams’ work was the analysis of existing
laws and regulations, and statistical data
regarding monitored border crossings, as well
as synchronising other measures.
The first team, consisting of three researchers:
Katarzyna Słubik, Joanna Subko, and Anna
Trylińska, conducted monitoring of the three
border crossings (Terespol on 2–3 March;
Medyka on 23–24 March; Warszawa-Okęcie
on 5 April 2016). Commander in Chief of the
Border Guard had been given advanced notice
of the monitoring and gave the researchers
permission to access the three border crossings
and conduct these activities. This part of
the study was carried out on the basis of a uniform
methodology, so that measures and practices
for each of the monitored border crossings
could be compared. In the course of this
stage of the monitoring the following activities
were carried out:
• field visit with Border Guard officials
• casual chats with Border Guard officials
• interviews with nine Border Guard
officials
Stowarzyszenie Interwencji Prawnej 5
Analyses, Reports, Evaluations Nº 2/2016