More than 4,300 illegal migrants have entered Germany via Belarus and Poland since August. In the first seven months of this year, there were only 26.
Most migrants come from Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Iran, according to the federal police.
In August, there were 474 migrants, and in September 1914. Figures from this month so far show that there is again a significant increase. In the first ten days of October 1934, illegal migrants who had passed through Belarus were registered.
Belarus announced in May that it would no longer block migrants who want to transit through the country to other countries. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko made that decision in response to European Union sanctions. Poland, Latvia and Lithuania subsequently tightened security at the borders with Belarus.
A number of EU countries believe that Lukashenko encourages migrants to travel to the European Union. In September, German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Belarus to help migrants instead of sending them across the border to the European Union. She spoke of “hybrid attacks”.