Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Wednesday he would protect his country's eastern border, dismissing criticism that a plan to temporarily stop accepting asylum applications violated human rights.

President Andrzej Duda joined the criticism of the asylum policy adopted by the government, saying it would harm Belarusian dissidents fleeing repression

Poland has joined a growing list of EU member states tightening border controls to limit people claiming asylum, against EU and international refugee obligations.