Poland voices remarks on new German anti-immigration regulations
Date
9/17/2024 8:16:22 AM
(MENAFN) Poland has strongly criticized Germany's recent decision to implement tighter border controls, labeling the move as an “unfriendly act” that could strain relations between the two neighboring countries. The German government, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, announced this week that it would begin conducting passport checks along its land borders with several European Union countries, a step that deviates from the Schengen agreement, which generally allows for passport-free travel across member states.
The new measures, set to take effect on September 16, are intended to address issues of “irregular migration.” However, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski expressed frustration over the abrupt nature of Germany’s announcement, revealing that Poland was not given prior notice of the impending changes. “You don’t act like that with friends or neighbors,” Bartoszewski remarked in an interview with local Radio Zet on Friday.
Bartoszewski warned that the sudden imposition of border controls would likely lead to significant disruptions and “chaos” at the borders. He also indicated that Poland would be responding to what it perceives as a unilateral and detrimental action. The deputy foreign minister suggested that other EU nations might be contemplating their own responses to Germany’s decision, noting that the move is “unacceptable” to many within the European Union.
Germany’s land borders stretch approximately 3,700 kilometers and include its neighbors Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland—all of which are part of the Schengen Zone. The Schengen Agreement generally facilitates seamless travel across member countries, making Germany’s decision to reintroduce border checks a notable departure from established norms.
Germany, as the largest economy in the European Union, has been a primary destination for asylum seekers, receiving over a third of all asylum applications within the bloc in 2023. Recent statistics from German federal police highlight a 33 percent increase in illegal border crossings last year, predominantly by migrants from Syria, Turkey, and Afghanistan. The rise in border crossings has also been accompanied by a reported increase in violent crime, with a notable proportion of these crimes being committed by foreigners, according to German law enforcement authorities.
The new border controls reflect Germany’s ongoing efforts to manage migration challenges and address security concerns, but they also underscore the broader tensions within the European Union over how to handle migration and border security.
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