More Afghans apply for international protection in Poland

Afghans evacuated from Kabul following the Taliban takeover make up the majority of applications for international protection in August, a spokesman for the Office for Foreigners (UdSC) has told PAP.

According to the UdSC, out of the total of 1,200 applications made in August, 740 were made by Afghan nationals. The second largest group were Belarusians who made 220.

Poland evacuated over 1,100 people from Afghanistan, including 937 Afghan citizens who had been cooperating with Polish troops and diplomatic services over the last 20 years.

From January to August the largest number of people applying for refugee status in Poland came from Belarus (1,100). Next came Afghan nationals (1,000) and Russians (740), said Jakub Dziedziczak, the office’s spokesman.

According to Dziedziczak, international protection could be granted if an applicant was either being persecuted in their homeland or if their life and health was endangered.

"By the end of August, a total of 720 foreigners were granted international protection in Poland, including 560 Belarusians, 60 Russians and 40 Turkish nationals," he said, adding that 830 foreigners had been refused international protection in Poland while 530 proceedings had been dropped.