Poland has expressed sharp disapproval of Germany’s decision to tighten border controls, characterizing the move as an “unfriendly act” that could strain relations between the neighboring nations. The German government, under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, announced this week that it would introduce passport checks along its land borders with several European Union countries, a policy shift that deviates from the Schengen Agreement’s principle of passport-free travel within member states.
Set to take effect on September 16, the new measures are aimed at addressing “irregular migration.” However, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski voiced frustration over the lack of prior communication from Germany, revealing that Poland had not been informed in advance. “You don’t treat friends or neighbors like that,” Bartoszewski said in an interview with Radio Zet on Friday.
Bartoszewski warned that the sudden reintroduction of border checks would cause significant disruptions and likely lead to “chaos” at the borders. He hinted that Poland would be considering its own response to what it perceives as a unilateral action by Germany. Bartoszewski also suggested that other EU member states might be contemplating their reactions, stating that Germany’s move is “unacceptable” to many within the union.
Germany’s land borders, which span approximately 3,700 kilometers, include countries such as Poland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Austria, and the Czech Republic—all of which are part of the Schengen Zone. The Schengen Agreement typically allows for seamless travel across these nations, making Germany’s decision to reinstate passport checks a significant departure from standard EU practice.
Germany, the European Union’s largest economy, has been a major destination for asylum seekers, receiving over a third of all asylum applications within the bloc in 2023. Recent data from German federal police showed a 33% rise in illegal border crossings last year, with most migrants coming from Syria, Turkey, and Afghanistan. The surge in migration has also been accompanied by an increase in violent crime, with German authorities reporting that a significant proportion of these offenses were committed by foreigners.
While Germany’s new border controls are part of its broader strategy to manage migration and bolster security, the move has deepened tensions within the European Union over how best to address migration and border management.