Polish authorities says step aimed to test migrants extra totally amid public considerations over immigration.
Poland has reintroduced momentary checks on its borders with Germany and Lithuania, citing a rising inflow of undocumented migrants and growing public concern over safety.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk introduced the transfer on Monday, arguing that Warsaw wanted to “redirect” migration routes that bypass obstacles alongside the Belarusian border and as an alternative move by neighbouring Latvia and Lithuania.
“To redirect this stream of individuals, which is deflected by our barrier, however which desires to cross Poland once more by the border with Latvia and Lithuania, and additional into Europe,” Tusk stated.
The choice got here amid heightened tensions throughout Europe over irregular migration, with different Schengen members like Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands having already taken related steps over the previous 18 months, placing pressure on the European Union’s passport-free journey zone.
Germany has maintained controls on its border with Poland since 2023, however lately adopted a harder strategy, rejecting undocumented arrivals and sending them again to Poland underneath EU and bilateral agreements.
Polish authorities say this has positioned an unfair burden on their nation.
Knut Abraham, Germany’s envoy for Polish relations, warned the brand new checks may trigger visitors congestion and disrupt commerce, with out curbing migration successfully. Related considerations had been raised by Rafal Gronicz, mayor of the border city of Zgorzelec, who dismissed fears of a migrant disaster as exaggerated.
“So long as I stay, I’ve by no means identified anybody who wished to flee from Germany to Poland,” he informed native radio. “There are not any urgent waves of migrants strolling round Zgorzelec.”
Polish Inside Minister Tomasz Siemoniak stated checks on the German border can be lifted when Berlin ends its harder controls.
“If Germany lifts its controls, we aren’t going to delay both,” Siemoniak stated. “We would like this motion to be completely free, that the issues of unlawful migrant and migration be resolved collectively, with out both facet struggling.”
Tensions have escalated in latest weeks in Poland after a Venezuelan nationwide was charged with murdering a 24-year-old girl in Torun. That killing triggered mass protests led by nationalist teams, with some 10,000 individuals marching on Sunday in her reminiscence.
A separate incident on Saturday noticed a Polish man fatally stabbed throughout a brawl within the northern city of Nowe. Authorities stated on Monday that 13 individuals had been arrested – three Poles and 10 Colombians. Offended crowds gathered exterior a staff’ hostel the place the Colombians had been staying, state media reported.
Far-right teams have additionally begun patrolling Poland’s western frontier, claiming to guard the nation from migrant flows. Human rights organisations condemned these vigilante efforts, warning they gas xenophobia and undermine belief in official establishments.
“The actions of those self-proclaimed teams are the results of a radicalising political narrative,” stated the Helsinki Basis for Human Rights. “Debate on migration needs to be grounded in information, not concern.”
