Polish drivers in Slovenian prisons. Consul: The number of convicts is growing rapidly

Detained often is not quite aware of the seriousness of the situation. He believes that after a few hours or days he will return to Poland, or pay a fine. Only after interrogation with the participation of the translator and issuing a court decision on detention on remand, do the detainees realize how difficult the situation they found – tells us the Consul of the Republic of Poland in Lublana Szymon Białek.

Fraudsters impersonating transport companies offer work for drivers from Poland. Poles are to carry tourists and businessmen in the Balkans. On the spot, it turns out that passengers are migrants who want to illegally get to Western Europe, mainly to Italy and Austria. IN Slovenia For several years, the transport of such people has been a serious crime. Drivers caught with migrants are facing many years in prison.

As part of the journalistic provocation, we decided to recruit as a driver and go to the Balkans. We present the effects of our investigation in the “supervisor” material.

We also talked to detained Polish drivers and looked at the “company” that hired them.

One of the countries lying on the migration trail is Slovenia. The local prisons are full of drivers convicted of transporting migrants, among them many Poles. Their affairs have been dealt with by the Polish Consul in Lublak Szymon Białek for several years.

Sebastian Klauziński: How many Poles are currently in arrests and prisons in Slovenia?

Szymon Białek: We are currently talking about several dozen people. The exact number cannot be given because the situation is dynamic – some are just leaving prisons, others have just been detained. These data change from week to week. It is worth noting that, according to the Slovenian law, both the police and the prison service are not obliged to automatically inform the consulate about the detention of a Citizen of the Republic of Poland – this may only take place at the clear request of the detained person.

And how many of them are drivers detained for transporting migrants?

The vast majority, virtually all of the detained Poles, are suspected persons or accused of participating in illegal transport of migrants. Importantly, among the detainees are not only men – we also have information about several women involved in this type of practice. It is worth bearing in mind that, according to the Slovenian law, a penalty for crimes related to facilitating illegal entry, transit or stay of foreigners may be from three to even several years imprisonment.

When did it start?

I came to Lublany at the end of 2022. At that time, there were relatively few such cases. Unfortunately, since then we have been observing a clear increase in the number of Poles detained for help in illegally crossing the border. This problem has intensified especially over the past several months.

Drivers we talked to say that they have gained ads for fraudsters advertising as transport companies. They thought they would drive tourists and fell after the first course. Do you believe it?

My task, as a consul, is not to assess the credibility of individual explanations. The consul operates on the basis of the provisions of the Consular Law, other legal acts and international agreements that oblige us to protect the interests of Polish citizens abroad. Our priority is to make sure that every Citizen of the Republic of Poland is treated in accordance with the law and equally with citizens of other countries – without prejudices or discrimination.

Since there are so many warning signs, why do Poles decide to do this job?

The main motive are financial considerations. People who decide on such “work” are often in a difficult life situation and look for quick earnings. Unfortunately, they are not aware of the seriousness of the situation and potential consequences.

What does the consulate in practice look like? The police stop me, it turns out that my passengers are migrants. Then I grab the phone to you?

In practice, we usually learn about delaying the Polish citizen – the police first transport a person to the police station, then to custody. At this time, the detained person often is not quite aware of the seriousness of the situation. He believes that after a few hours or days he will return to Poland, or pay a fine. Only after hearing with the participation of the translator and issuing a court decision on detention on remand, do the detainees realize how difficult the situation they found.

It is worth emphasizing that, according to applicable procedures, the consulate can be informed by the Slovenian authorities about detention only if the person himself expresses such a will. That is why it is so important that the detained people immediately report the desire to contact the consul.

This is particularly difficult for people who are in contact with justice for the first time. That is why we urge you to contact the lawyer as soon as possible and to work with him. Our task is to ensure that the detainee has equal treatment and access to all his rights.

During the first meeting with the detainee, I always ask if it requires additional care – whether he is chronically ill, for example, diabetes. There are cases when we turn to the Slovenian side to allow access to doctors, appropriate medicines and – if necessary – a specialized diet in prison.

In February, among others, the Police Headquarters and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a message warning against taking up work in the Balkans as a driver. A similar warning is published every few months on the website and social media. Do you think these warnings will have an effect?

I think so. Any reliable information that can prevent tragedy is extremely valuable. Our goal is to increase public awareness in this area. We hope that thanks to these warnings, more people will understand how serious consequences they have – even unintentional – in the washing of migrants.