Poland is starting spot checks at its shared border with Germany, with random checks being carried out from Monday onwards at a complete of 52 border crossings, authorities say.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk introduced the short-term border checks at first of July in response to stricter German controls on the shared border.
Germany and Poland, like most EU international locations, are a part of the visa-free Schengen space, which abolished border checks between its members.
Nonetheless, Germany has been finishing up random checks on the border with Poland since October 2023, with controls stepped up in current months underneath Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s administration, recognized for its laborious line on immigration.
Poland’s border checks began at midnight and are set to proceed initially till August 5. Throughout this era, Poland additionally intends to verify incoming travellers at its border with Lithuania.
Border guards say they are going to focus significantly on buses, minibuses and automobiles with many passengers, in addition to autos with tinted home windows.
Earlier than Poland’s announcement, Merz’s authorities mentioned it could additionally start turning again asylum seekers on the Polish border, a very contentious difficulty in Poland.
Since Could 8, German officers have refused entry to round 1,300 individuals on the border to Poland, in keeping with the Inside Ministry. One in 10 instances concerned an asylum request.
