May only be a prelude to something much worse, says Polish PM on migrant row with Belarus

Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki visited the border areas amid tensions with Belarus over the migrant crisis while warning that the "may only be a prelude to something much worse".

The Polish prime minister said the "situation is getting more tense" as Belarus President Lukashenko said he is waiting for the EU to discuss the fate of the migrants stranded at the border.

Also Read: Poland-Belarus border row continues as Lukashenko says won't detain migrants

Lukashenko said although German Chancellor Angela Merkel had "promised" to discuss the issue with the EU but it has not been taken up.

Meanwhile, Polish guards said hundreds of migrants tried to cross into the country from the Belarus side over the weekend. 

Watch: Hundreds of Iraqis repatriated from Belarus

The refugees reportedly threw stones as Polish border guard spokesman said Belarusian officers used lasers and flashlights to help the refugees to cross the border as some tried to enter but they were pushed back.

Western leaders have blamed Lukashenko for the tension at the border with Poland even as Belarusian opposition head Svetlana Tikhanovskaya asked EU leaders not to contact Lukashenko.

Also Read: Migrant crisis may last for years, says Poland

The Belarus president however insisted on Monday that he does not want a confrontation although he added that "we understand that if we go too far, war is unavoidable."

"And that will be a catastrophe. We understand this perfectly well. We don't want any kind of flare-up," Lukashenko was quoted by the local state-owned media as saying.

(With inputs from Agencies)