[1][2] Poland began work on the 5.5-meter (18 foot) high steel wall topped with barbed wire at a cost of around 1.6 billion zł (US$407m) aimed at blocking the passage of illegal migrants during the border crisis in the region artificially instigated by Belarus in the late summer of 2021.

[3] An electronic barrier 206km in length, mounting 3,000 cameras with night vision and movement sensors, was added to the fence between November 2022 and early summer 2023 at a cost of EUR 71.8 million.

[4] Some media outlets, journalists and celebrities accused the Polish government of using border barrier to prevent entry of irregular asylum seekers.

[10] Since the fence was built illegal crossings have reduced to a trickle; however, between August 2021 and February 2023, 37 bodies were found on both sides of the border; people had died mainly from hypothermia or drowning.

The referendum was not binding due to not reaching the required threshold of 50% of the electorate, with 40.91% turnout - an effect of the boycott organised by the opposition.