Poland’s Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, has ordered the Interior Minister, Mariusz Kamiński, to implement vehicle controls at the common border with Slovakia in order to halt the unlawful entry of migrants transiting Poland to reach Germany through the Balkan route.
Morawiecki stressed that illegal migrants had been reaching his country through the Balkan route via Hungary and Slovakia, adding that there is no border between Poland and Slovakia after both countries are part of the EU’s Schengen Area.
I have ordered the Interior Minister to introduce border controls at the Polish-Slovak frontier for minibuses, vans, passenger vehicles, and coaches that may be suspected of carrying illegal migrants.
The Western Balkan route is the second most active migratory route in Europe, according to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex.
The statistics from the latter revealed that for a period from January until August this year, a total of 70,550 detections were registered in this route. Compared to the figures from the same period last year, there was a decline of 19 per cent, which, according to Frontex, comes due to tighter visa policies.
We do not control this border, but I have instructed the Interior Minister to introduce checks at this frontier… so that no one could accuse us of having a leaky border.
Poland is dealing with an influx of migrants, most of whom come from its neighbouring country, Belarus. Poland’s PM said that his country managed to successfully defend its borders with Belarus against illegal migration.
In October last year, authorities in Warsaw completed a 186-kilometre barrier, which consists of a five-metre steel fence topped with razor wire on its common border with Belarus. Such a decision came following the increased number of migrants reaching this territory. In June this year, an electronic barrier, as well as comprising cameras was added to this border wall.
According to a spokesperson from the government, Piotr Müller, the country is attempting to strengthen controls at its border with Slovakia following reports that illegal migrants are entering Poland through the Western Balkan route.
Poland’s Border Guards spokesperson, Anna Michalska, accused Belarus of being involved in organising illegal border crossings.
A large number of migrants reaching Poland head to Germany. Besides, earlier this month, authorities in Germany detected a total of 320 migrants trying to cross the Polish border in the southern Brandenburg irregularly.
