In a significant move to address concerns over the rise in illegal migration, Poland and Germany have announced their collaboration in the creation of a specialized taskforce. The Polish interior minister, Mariusz Kaminski, revealed this joint effort after discussions with his German counterpart, Nancy Faeser.
Kaminski stated, “We agreed that Polish and German services will cooperate more closely in combating illegal migration. For this purpose, a special task force will be created, comprising officers from Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany.”
Recent concerns about an upsurge in migrants crossing the Polish-German border have been voiced by German politicians, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz. This has raised alarms among some Polish media outlets and opposition figures, who fear the potential jeopardy to the border-free movement between Poland and Germany.
Kaminski emphasized that reports of permanent controls being reinstated on the internal Schengen border between Poland and Germany are inaccurate. He clarified that the German decision involves intensifying service activities on their side of the border, which falls within the framework of Schengen rules and does not constitute the reinstatement of controls.
Moreover, Kaminski highlighted the increased migratory pressure along the Balkan route, leading to the Polish government’s decision to enhance border controls with Slovakia and the Czech Republic. This involves rigorous checks on buses and vehicles that could potentially be involved in migrant transportation.
“As a result of these activities, approximately 150 illegal migrants from the Middle East, including Syria, and Africa were apprehended in an attempt to reach Germany. It was also discovered that individuals engaged in migrant smuggling possessed German short- and long-term residence permits, including visas and the right of residence,” Kaminski revealed.