The Polish Border Guard has revealed a significant surge in migrant apprehensions this year, with 1,603 individuals detained on the border with Slovakia and 279 on the border with the Czech Republic, according to the spokesperson for the Border Guard, Anna Michalska.
Michalska stated that a total of 1,880 people, following the illicit Balkan migration route, have been apprehended at Poland’s southern border in the current year. A drastic increase from previous years, with last year’s count at 78 and that of two years ago at 32, as per the Border Guard’s statistics.
The Polish government, in response to the escalating situation, has decided to reintroduce temporary controls on the border with Slovakia starting from midnight on Wednesday, as announced by Interior Minister Mariusz Kamiński earlier on Tuesday. The Balkan route, a key conduit for illegal migration, runs through Slovakia, prompting this swift response from Polish authorities.
Kamiński highlighted the alarming rise in migrant numbers in Slovakia, witnessing an almost 1,000 percent increase compared to last year. He noted that some of these migrants find their way to Poland, while others manage to infiltrate Germany and various other European Union countries.
The escalating influx of migrants, both via Slovakia and Poland, has also prompted Germany to intensify border checks with Poland. European nations are now grappling with the challenge of managing this heightened migration, necessitating coordinated efforts and robust security measures to ensure stability and safety within their borders.