Poland’s Education Minister, Przemyslaw Czarnek, has joined a chorus of government officials in expressing strong criticism for Agnieszka Holland’s latest film, “Green Border,” which delves into the plight of migrants at the Polish-Belarusian border. The movie, which premiered on September 5 and received the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, has ignited a fierce debate in Poland.
In “Green Border,” the film depicts a fictional group of refugees attempting to enter Poland but being forcibly returned to Belarus by uncompassionate Polish border guards. Minister Czarnek did not mince his words when addressing the film, stating, “We are very grateful to Ms. Holland for this film, it is very good that it is now showing in cinemas, because it is another case of spitting on the Polish uniform, spitting on the Polish security services, spitting on the Polish Army, and all those who guard 24 hours a day, risking their lives and health for the border of the Republic of Poland.”
The minister argued that these border guards are essential in maintaining security and preventing incidents such as those seen in other European countries, saying, “So that there would be no Bucza in Chelm. So that there would be no Marseilles, no burning cars in Rzeszow, Lublin, or Warsaw. So that there would not be as many rapes of Polish women as in France or Belgium.”
Czarnek emphasized the sacrifices made by these individuals, stating, “These people, risking their own health and lives, protect the safety of Polish women and men so that there will be no hell for women in Poland, to be served up by those who would like to let all illegal migrants cross the border.”
He further took aim at critics in the media, noting, “Thank you very much to Ms. Holland for showing this film now because it once again reveals the attitude of that side, represented by ‘Gazeta Wyborcza,’ towards the Polish security services, the army, and the uniforms.”
Minister Czarnek’s remarks echo similar criticisms from other government ministers, with Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro likening the film to Third Reich propaganda and Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski claiming that it portrays a “false” reality of the border situation.