Polish border checks: the upshot?
Poland introduced random checks at its borders with Germany and Lithuania on Monday, in a bid to curb irregular migration. Vehicles with several occupants will be the main target. However, Polish Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak has declared his willingness to waive the checks if Germany lifts its new border controls. Commentators debate the motives and consequences.
Don't jeopardise freedom
The Frankfurter Rundschau fears serious consequences:
“In practical terms, people in areas close to the border will face enormous restrictions. Then there's the lax approach to European law, which Angela Merkel has rightly denounced as her successor Friedrich Merz pushes ahead regardless. ... People seeking protection are at risk of ending up in a no man's land if neither Germany nor Poland are prepared to take them in. ... The first step must be for German and Polish authorities to at least carry out the checks together. The more important next step, however, must be to abolish checks entirely. They are legally and politically unacceptable in the long term. ... The freedom that Europe has worked so hard to achieve must not be jeopardised.”
Hope for a positive domino effect
The Neue Zürcher Zeitung sees the controls as an opportunity for Europe as a whole:
“If more states were to follow suit and introduce checks at their borders with Germany, all EU states would come under pressure to start effectively securing Europe's outer borders - because no one wants migration ping-pong inside Europe. Only then, after years of generally open borders, would it be possible to provide unrestricted freedom of movement within Europe. The much-feared domino effect which might be starting now could benefit the whole of Europe.”
Tusk in a tight corner
Der Standard shows understanding for the Polish government's stance:
“As a former EU Council President, the liberal Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is more experienced than almost anyone else in negotiating common ground. But now even he is saying: 'The time when Poland didn't respond appropriately is over.' These words come as no surprise, but they're not what one would expect from Tusk. They show how much pressure he is under in Poland from the national-conservative, anti-German and anti-EU opposition, as well as self-appointed border 'vigilantes'. And they show just how much collateral damage can come from the domino effect with which Berlin is trying to shift migration pressure to the external borders.”
Just a show for the Poles?
For news website Interia the new border controls are aimed at the domestic audience:
“Because Donald Tusk's government has been considerably weakened by its election defeat, PiS politicians have been hammering away at it. ... And for that very same reason, namely its own weakness, the Tusk government is compelled to take action. That is why it has grandiosely announced the introduction of controls on the Polish side. Foreign Minister Sikorski's words pave the way for the solution to a problem that doesn't exist. All in the service of a power struggle that is very real.”
Sacrificing Schengen
The Süddeutsche Zeitung criticises:
“A silly defiant reaction - to an equally silly German border drama. Both governments together have sacrificed the freedom to travel in the Schengen Area because they are letting themselves be pushed around by their countries' right-wing extremists and right-wing nationalists instead of working towards real solutions. ... With their fear of their respective domestic political opponents and their constant focus on the next polls, both governments have literally pushed the European idea of the Schengen Area, which Poland joined at the end of 2007, to its limits.”
No freedom without checkpoints
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung applauds the move:
“We should not act as if Europe was now collapsing. The goal is not to combat freedom of travel but illegal immigration. It's clear that this may also lead to delays for tourists and commuters. But firstly this is nothing new; we often see it with big international sporting events, for example. And secondly, the states should have an interest in organising the controls in such a way that they are effective. ... And the talk about there being no such thing as seamless controls must not lead to certain crossings having no official checkpoints. When everyone wakes up, the spirit of Schengen can once again reign supreme.”
Tusk's policies taking a heavy toll on Poland
The Polish prime minister has seriously weakened his country, news website wPolityce.pl criticises:
“Germany is dumping its migration problem on us. To do this, it needed a useful prime minister who would meekly follow orders from abroad. And this is not the only area in which Poland is being weakened. ... Exactly the same thing is happening in defence, the economy, industry, transport and international politics. It all boils down to one thing: within just 18 months Donald Tusk has destroyed Poland's competitiveness and independence. This is how countries are conquered without a single shot being fired. This is truly the last moment to stop this madness.”
Together is better
Warsaw and Berlin should work together instead of acting unilaterally, Der Tagesspiegel points out:
“Poland has long sought Germany's support in protecting its eastern border, which is also an external EU border, against irregular migration. Russia and Belarus are channelling irregular migration towards Poland's eastern border in order to weaken the EU. Merz and Tusk and their interior ministers should therefore sit down together. Why not implement a three-pronged strategy: joint controls on the German-Polish border, a joint effort to strengthen Poland's eastern border and mutual assistance to speed up asylum and deportation procedures?”