The buffer zone covers a stretch of over 60 kilometers along the border.
Specifically, on a 44-kilometer section, the ban applies to an area extending 200 meters from the border, while on a 16-kilometer section, the restricted zone is about 2 kilometers wide.
The regulation was signed by Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak.
The ban affects areas overseen by the Border Guard posts in Narewka, Białowieża, Dubicze Cerkiewne and Czeremcha, and will be in force for 90 days, officials said.
The interior ministry has emphasized that the restricted area has been minimized to the necessary extent.
It said the buffer zone extends around villages and tourist trails to minimize inconvenience for residents, tourists and businesses.
The primary goal of this measure is, according to the Polish government, to ensure the safety of both the public and law enforcement authorities, including police officers, border guards and soldiers.
Additionally, the ban aims to limit the activities of smuggling groups that facilitate illegal migration.
The establishment of this restricted zone was announced by Prime Minister Donald Tusk following an incident in which a Polish soldier was fatally wounded by a migrant last month.
The draft regulation, which initially proposed broader restrictions, underwent consultations and faced opposition from local government officials and entrepreneurs before being finalized, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
(jh/gs)
Source: IAR
Click on the audio player above for a report by Radio Poland's Marcin Matuszewski.
