In a recent development, a deputy interior minister has disputed the statistics presented by opposition leader Donald Tusk in support of his claims that the Polish government has been overseeing “uncontrolled migration.” Tusk, the leader of the main opposition party Civic Platform (PO), referred to official figures provided by the Law and Justice (PiS) government, which purportedly showed that 135,000 migrants from Muslim countries were legally admitted to Poland in 2022 alone.
Tusk further criticized the PiS government, accusing them of promoting “disgusting propaganda” that vilifies and stigmatizes these individuals. His remarks were in response to an earlier statement made by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who had suggested a link between increased crime rates in Western Europe and “uncontrolled migration” policies.
Responding to Tusk’s allegations, Deputy Interior Minister Bartosz Grodecki held a press conference on Friday, where he contested the accuracy of the quoted migrant numbers for 2022. Grodecki stated, “The data indicating that over 130,000 migrants from Muslim countries came to Poland is untrue.” He proceeded to present a graphic illustrating that a total of over 130,000 work permits were issued for migrants originating from countries such as Uzbekistan, Turkey, Bangladesh, Turkmenistan, and Indonesia.
Grodecki argued that the interpretation of these numbers regarding migrants was flawed, leading to false conclusions. He clarified, “The crucial point is that a work permit alone does not grant entry and residency in Poland.” According to him, the actual number of individuals who legally entered Poland for temporary stays, with a valid visa, was significantly lower.
To exemplify his point, Grodecki refuted the claim that 33,000 residents from Uzbekistan arrived in Poland by highlighting that the number of entry permits or work visas issued was seven times lower. He also emphasized that the number of visas issued in 2022 was a response to the labor market demands in Poland, primarily in the agricultural sector.