Polish PM Slams Germany’s Border Controls as Neighbors React to Migration Crackdown

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has condemned Germany’s decision to extend temporary border controls as “unacceptable.” The move is part of Germany’s response to irregular migration and has sparked criticism from several neighboring countries. These extended restrictions, already present at some land borders, will now apply to borders with France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Denmark starting next Monday.

A Dutch-German alliance of border communities criticized the move as a “panic reaction.” Meanwhile, Austria’s interior minister emphasized that Austria would not accept migrants rejected by Germany. However, Germany’s conservative opposition argues that Berlin has not gone far enough in addressing the migration issue.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party government faces growing pressure to act, particularly after poor election results in eastern Germany, where immigration has become a key issue. In Thuringia, the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) recently came in first, and another critical election in Brandenburg is approaching in less than two weeks.

The debate over migration intensified following the arrest of a Syrian asylum seeker, who had previously faced deportation, after the fatal stabbing of three people at a festival in Solingen. In response, the conservative CDU/CSU parties initially agreed to participate in a migration summit with the government and state leaders but later withdrew, accusing the government of ignoring their proposals to tighten border controls.

“Clearly, the federal government is hopelessly divided internally and cannot agree on effective measures,” said CDU leader Friedrich Merz.

Under European Union rules, Schengen area countries, which include Germany and its neighbors, are permitted to impose temporary border controls in exceptional circumstances. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser defended the expanded controls, citing “acute dangers posed by Islamist terrorism and serious crime.” The plan involves checking whether asylum seekers have already applied for protection in another EU country, and swiftly deporting those who have.

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk, however, sees Germany’s move as being driven by internal political pressures rather than a genuine response to migration issues at the border. Since 2021, Poland has faced a surge in illegal migration from Belarus, which it views as part of a “hybrid war” waged by both Belarus and Russia. Many of these migrants ultimately aim to reach Germany. Tusk has called for urgent consultations with the countries affected by the German controls.

The European Commission has indicated that while Germany’s actions are permitted under Schengen rules, they must be both “necessary and proportionate.”

In Austria, where the far-right leads in the polls ahead of elections, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner has instructed police not to accept migrants rejected by Germany. Dutch border towns have also experienced delays due to temporary border checks, with some crossing points facing half-hour waits during the Euro 2024 football tournament. Dutch transport groups have accused Germany of undermining the Schengen agreement, though some political leaders in the Netherlands support the move.

Far-right politician Geert Wilders, whose Freedom Party came first in last year’s Dutch elections, asked, “If Germany can do it, why can’t we?” He advocated for swift implementation of similar measures in the Netherlands. Dilan Yesilgöz of the centre-right VVD expressed support for Germany’s plan, describing it as a strong signal of the government’s desire for control, even if it remains largely symbolic.