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Poland Border Troops
Under the communist regimes, the Border Guard Troops
(Wojska
Ochrony Pogranicza--WOP) was an agency of the Ministry of
Internal Affairs, which was responsible for tight border
security
as well as a variety of less specific missions. In 1991
the
military-style WOP was disbanded and replaced by the
Border Guard
(Straznik Graniczny--SG), whose commander was appointed by
and
reported directly to the prime minister. The force was
reduced
from 20,000 to 13,500 troops, with the top-heavy officer
corps
absorbing the largest cuts.
The newly configured force retrained the large numbers
of
lower- and mid-level cadre that remained in service and
switched
its operational strategy from tight border patrols to
border
reconnaissance. SG activity is now aimed at preventing
illegal
border crossings, smuggling, and the entry of
environmentally
harmful materials into Poland from adjoining countries.
Between
1990 and 1991, border crossings into Poland increased from
2
million to 10 million. In 1991 and 1992, the major refugee
movements from Eastern Europe and Southern Europe put
great
stress on Poland's reduced border force, which was
responsible
for customs and visa inspections at border crossings. A
1991
study showed alarming signs that Poland's borders were
very
porous. For example, 70 percent of goods declared as
transiting
Poland remained within the country once they entered (thus
having
avoided taxes and duties), and only 30 percent of
automobiles
going into the Soviet Union had proper transport
documents.
Data as of October 1992
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