3rd October 2023 – (Warsaw) Poland has made the decision to introduce temporary border controls at its border with Slovakia, according to the country’s interior minister. Mariusz Kaminski announced at a press conference on Tuesday that the government had opted to reinstate the controls at midnight.
Initially, the border controls will be in place for a period of 10 days, as per the prescribed procedure. However, it is highly likely that the controls will be extended beyond the initial timeframe.
Kaminski highlighted that illegal migration and the number of detected migrants in Slovakia had risen by nearly 1,000 percent compared to the previous year. This significant increase in migrant inflow, including through Slovakia and Poland, has prompted Germany to enhance checks at its own border with Poland.
The minister emphasised that a considerable number of foreigners pass through Poland en route to Germany and other European Union countries. He revealed that within a span of just two weeks, authorities had detected and apprehended 551 illegal migrants.
In line with the Schengen Borders Code, Kaminski stated that the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Slovakia, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and the European Commission had been duly informed about the decision.
Tomasz Praga, the Chief Commander of the Border Guard, explained the basis for reinstating the border controls. “Border controls will be restored based on Article 28(1) of the Schengen Borders Code, which allows for urgent introduction of such controls,” he stated. The initial reinstatement of the controls will last for 10 days, with the possibility of subsequent renewals for up to 20 days. However, in accordance with the article, the total period for restoring border controls cannot exceed two months.
Praga further outlined the specifics of the border controls. “According to the plan, a total of 11 crossings will be open on the border with Slovakia, including 8 road crossings and 3 railway crossings.”