A blogger was barred from entering Poland after a trip to Morskie Oko
Ukrainian blogger Andriy Havryliv has been banned from entering Poland for five years after he drove his car into the Morskie Oko Nature Reserve in the Tatra Mountains. He called the decision “unjustified,” though he admitted to breaking the rules.
The incident occurred after the blogger posted a video and photos from a popular mountain lake in Poland. He boasted that he had driven there, even though private vehicles are prohibited from entering the area.
Later, Gavryliv recorded a statement in Lviv, where he explained his version of events. According to him, he was following his GPS and simply didn’t notice the barrier, which, he claims, was raised. “I was driving to Lake Morskie Oko using my GPS. There was a barrier at the entrance, but I didn’t notice it because it was raised,” the blogger explained.
At the same time, he admitted that he ignored the “No Entry” road sign and takes responsibility for that. He also added that he didn’t see any security guards or police along the route. “I’m human and I can make mistakes. However, I didn’t steal anything, I didn’t damage anything, and I didn’t hurt anyone,” he said, apologizing if he had offended anyone’s feelings.
The blogger stated that he has already returned to Ukraine, so the deportation, in his words, did not actually take place, and he considers the entry ban excessive. In his opinion, the mere fact of entering a protected area should not automatically entail such severe consequences.
The scandal received widespread attention in Poland and on social media, after which Prime Minister Donald Tusk responded to the situation. He instructed the relevant agencies to urgently investigate all the circumstances and take appropriate measures.
Subsequently, Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kerwinski confirmed the decision to place the blogger on the list of undesirable persons with a five-year entry ban. The Zakopane police also noted that the fine in such cases can reach up to 5,000 zlotys, although the blogger claimed he paid only 100.
