(AFP) Polish lawmakers on Friday gave the go-ahead to build a controversial wall on the EU member’s eastern border with Belarus, in response to an unprecedented wave of migrants, mostly from the Middle East.
The wall will cost an estimated 353 million euros ($407 million) and is planned to stretch over more than 100 kilometres (60 miles) on the European Union’s eastern border.
Polish President Andrzej Duda vowed to sign the emergency legislation within the coming days.
Thousands of migrants and refugees — mostly from the Middle East and Africa — have tried to cross the Polish border from Belarus since August.
The EU accuses Minsk of orchestrating the migrant wave in retaliation for sanctions on the regime of President Alexander Lukashenko over his crackdown on opponents.
