Border controls: Poland responds to Germany with new measures!

Border controls: Poland responds to Germany with new measures!

The situation on the German-Polish border continues to deteriorate. Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Siemoniak announced today that Poland will introduce increased border controls from July 7th to August 5th, 2025. These measures are a direct result of Germany's actions, where asylum seekers have been able to be rejected at the border since May 2023. The checks are intended to cover travelers, commuters and trucks in particular, which will greatly affect commuters who travel between the two countries every day. Brandenburg's Interior Minister Martin Wilke has already warned of a “ping-pong game” in which people could be sent back and forth between Germany and Poland, which could further aggravate the already tense situation. Deutschlandfunk reports that, in addition to the existing challenges, these new controls also raise concerns about the humanitarian situation.

What exactly happens now? Border controls in Poland are randomly applied to various means of transport such as buses, minibuses and cars. Signs will be posted to slow traffic and narrow lanes. Despite these controls, entry requirements remain unchanged; An identity card is still sufficient for traveling between Poland and Germany. However, this leads to long waiting times and traffic jams on the Polish side, as around 13,000 people commute from Poland to Saxony and over 14,000 to Brandenburg every day. ProSieben has highlighted that travel and commuter flows could be significantly hindered as a result.

Background of the controls

The introduction of controls on both sides also has domestic political backgrounds. The Polish government under the opposition PiS party is using the issue to strengthen its position. At the same time, the German federal government is pushing for a tougher migration policy, which is underlined by the demand for additional staff at the border. According to reports from Tagesschau, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has already sent 3,000 additional officers into action to prevent unauthorized entries. In the first quarter of 2025, the number of asylum applications fell by 46% compared to the previous year, increasing pressure on political leadership.

The rejection of people at the border, despite applying for asylum, has already affected 160 people in the first four weeks after the change of government. Dobrindt himself sees this as an integrative approach to curbing irregular migration. But trade unionists warn of a high burden on the federal police and there are always critical voices about these measures, especially after a ruling by the Berlin administrative court, which declared the procedure to be illegal.

Overall, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop further. The unilateral measures by Germany and Poland could lead to even more urgent political dialogue in the region, or to continued chaos at the borders. One thing is certain: the issue of migration will continue to concern us for a long time.