Poland Expresses Criticism of New German Anti-Immigration Measures
Germany's choice to reintroduce passport checks at its land borders has been labeled “unacceptable” by Poland. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Berlin's decision to strengthen passport checks is considered an "unfriendly act" towards Poland, potentially straining relations between the two nations, as highlighted by the Polish Foreign Ministry.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government announced plans to implement passport checks along Germany's land border with several EU countries for a minimum of six months, a move that goes against the Schengen agreement. This decision, which will take effect on September 16, is aimed at addressing issues related to "irregular migration."
Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski expressed his concerns, stating, “We found out about the border closure out of the blue, there was no warning.” He emphasized, “You don’t act like that with friends or neighbors.”
Bartoszewski anticipated that Berlin's unexpected announcement could lead to "chaos on the borders," and he indicated that Warsaw would respond accordingly.
When asked if other EU countries might consider closing their borders with Germany, he suggested that discussions among EU members may already be taking place, as the situation is “unacceptable” to many.
Germany shares a 3,700km land border with several EU nations, including Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland—all of which are part of the Schengen Zone.
As the largest economy in the EU, Germany continues to attract a significant number of asylum seekers, having received nearly one-third of all asylum applications within the bloc in 2023.
According to German federal police, there was a 33% increase in illegal border crossings in the previous year, predominantly involving migrants from Syria, Türkiye, and Afghanistan. Additionally, law enforcement reported a rise in violent crime in Germany during 2023, noting an increase in crimes committed by foreigners.
The stricter border measures appear to be a part of the German government’s attempts to enhance its domestic image while its foreign policy seems increasingly influenced by internal considerations, as noted by Bartoszewski.
Regarding the challenges Germany faces with immigration, Bartoszewski remarked that Berlin “has only itself to blame, because first it opens the borders and says ‘willkommen’ and we can accept any number of refugees,” criticizing former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s refugee policy as having been “disastrous.”
Under Merkel's leadership, Germany welcomed over 1.2 million refugees and asylum seekers during the peak of the migrant crisis in 2015-2016, a decision that eventually led to significant public discontent.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government announced plans to implement passport checks along Germany's land border with several EU countries for a minimum of six months, a move that goes against the Schengen agreement. This decision, which will take effect on September 16, is aimed at addressing issues related to "irregular migration."
Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski expressed his concerns, stating, “We found out about the border closure out of the blue, there was no warning.” He emphasized, “You don’t act like that with friends or neighbors.”
Bartoszewski anticipated that Berlin's unexpected announcement could lead to "chaos on the borders," and he indicated that Warsaw would respond accordingly.
When asked if other EU countries might consider closing their borders with Germany, he suggested that discussions among EU members may already be taking place, as the situation is “unacceptable” to many.
Germany shares a 3,700km land border with several EU nations, including Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland—all of which are part of the Schengen Zone.
As the largest economy in the EU, Germany continues to attract a significant number of asylum seekers, having received nearly one-third of all asylum applications within the bloc in 2023.
According to German federal police, there was a 33% increase in illegal border crossings in the previous year, predominantly involving migrants from Syria, Türkiye, and Afghanistan. Additionally, law enforcement reported a rise in violent crime in Germany during 2023, noting an increase in crimes committed by foreigners.
The stricter border measures appear to be a part of the German government’s attempts to enhance its domestic image while its foreign policy seems increasingly influenced by internal considerations, as noted by Bartoszewski.
Regarding the challenges Germany faces with immigration, Bartoszewski remarked that Berlin “has only itself to blame, because first it opens the borders and says ‘willkommen’ and we can accept any number of refugees,” criticizing former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s refugee policy as having been “disastrous.”
Under Merkel's leadership, Germany welcomed over 1.2 million refugees and asylum seekers during the peak of the migrant crisis in 2015-2016, a decision that eventually led to significant public discontent.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
