The border checks introduced by the government on the Polish-German border are merely symbolic, said Mariusz Błaszczak, Vice President of Law and Justice (PiS), on Saturday. According to him, the absence of a crucial directive to the uniformed services is undermining the effectiveness of these measures.
Starting July 7, temporary controls will be introduced at the German border. Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the move, stating that the aim is to reduce the flow of illegal migrants into Poland.
However, Błaszczak claims the move is purely performative. Speaking on TV Republika on Saturday, he argued that the checks will not address the core issue.
“Why? Because Donald Tusk – or his minister Tomasz Siemoniak – failed to issue an order to border guards not to accept migrants being sent back from Germany. As a result, the checks on the Polish-German border are merely symbolic and will do nothing to protect Poles from illegal migration,” he stated, adding that the decision to introduce controls came only after pressure from Border Defense Movement activists.
Neglecting the Border Guard
Błaszczak also pointed out that the government is failing to ensure the Border Guard is a well-functioning service. He reported that during conversations with officers along various sections of the border, PiS politicians were told about an “alarmingly high number of vacancies” in the Border Guard.
“When I heard that on the German side there are three times more personnel than on the Polish side – and that we still have a large number of unfilled posts – it really shows the scale of the problem,” he said.
Support for the Referendum
Błaszczak referenced the recent death of a 24-year-old woman from Toruń, who was attacked by an illegal migrant, warning that crimes committed by foreigners may increase.
“That’s why I strongly urge support for the citizens’ initiative to hold a referendum rejecting the migration pact. What we’re currently seeing at the German border is just a prelude to what awaits us if the pact is implemented,” he concluded.