Europe
Poland considers partial border controls with Germany

In response to Berlin’s repatriation of migrants who have crossed the border “illegally,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that it is “very probable” Poland will implement “partial controls” at its border with Germany.
Speaking in parliament yesterday before a vote of confidence in his government, Tusk also stated that the Polish government is seeking support from other European Union countries to restrict or end visa-free travel for Georgian citizens, whom it holds responsible for a wave of crime.
Under normal circumstances, no controls are conducted at the border between Poland and Germany, as both countries are part of Europe’s Schengen free-travel area. However, in 2023, Germany reintroduced controls on its side of the border to prevent the illegal entry of migrants.
This move drew criticism from Poland due to the additional burden placed on people crossing the border and Germany’s repatriation of thousands of migrants without the right of entry.
Poland’s main opposition party, the national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS), staged protests against Germany’s repatriation of migrants. The party accuses the Tusk government of being too lenient on this issue, although such repatriations also occurred when PiS was in power.
Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Tusk stated that they had informed Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s new government that “on the Polish side, we will control very critically and very thoroughly any attempts to send any migrants to Poland.”
According to Polsat News, Tusk said, “I have informed not only the Germans but also other neighboring countries that if the situation and pressure at the border escalate, I will not hesitate to make the decision to introduce temporary controls.”
“It is very likely that such partial controls will be introduced at the German border this summer,” Tusk said, without providing details on what these would entail or exactly when they would be implemented.
Tusk acknowledged that such measures would create difficulties for Poles living near the border, especially those who reside on one side and work on the other, and he stated that the government would do its best to minimize their hardship.
In March of this year, Tusk announced that Poland would cease to comply with the EU’s Dublin Regulation, which permits the return of asylum seekers to the member state where they first applied for protection. However, his government has yet to take action in this regard.
In his speech to parliament on Wednesday, Tusk also announced that he is working to “form the necessary majority” among EU member states to limit or even completely suspend visa-free travel for Georgian citizens to the EU.
According to Radio Zet, the prime minister said, “One-third of Georgians want to share our values… But I am in favor of restricting visa-free travel with countries that do not meet the standards.”
Earlier this year, the Tusk government took strong measures against what it claimed was an increase in “imported crime,” particularly crimes committed by migrants from Georgia.