Border controls between Frankfurt (Oder) and Słubice: what now?

Border controls between Frankfurt (Oder) and Słubice: what now?

In the region on the German-Polish border, especially in Frankfurt (Oder) and its Polish sister city Słubice, the situation is becoming increasingly tense. On the German side there is striking graffiti with the words “City of Bridge Builders”, which symbolizes the transnational connection between these cities. But since the introduction of stricter border controls in May 2023 (also on the Polish side since July 7, 2023), people and their cross-border contacts are at stake. That's how he reports Daily Mirror by the difficulties of open border traffic, which has been severely affected.

The federal police carry out rigorous checks at the border crossing, during which around one in seven vehicles is waved out. According to reports, checks are, on average, quite speedy, with checking documents usually taking no longer than five minutes. Nevertheless, people were turned back every day, which made the one-way situation even worse for many refugees. What is worrying is that a vigilante group has been operating on the Polish side for some time, trying to support migrants entering Germany, but which has no official authority.

Difficult insights into the reality of life

The mayor of Słubice, Marzena Słodownik, expresses concern about the introduction of permanent controls. She would like to see a solution at European level to mitigate the impact on the over 2,500 daily commuters and the busy vehicle traffic, which numbers between 8,000 and 10,000 cars daily. For Słodownik, the two cities are closely linked and she fears that longer waiting times and financial losses could put a strain on the social relationship between citizens on both sides. “Permanent border controls would be a catastrophe,” she says and appeals to the German government not to view the border controls as a punishment for the border regions and to promote cross-border cooperation. RBB24 reports her clear point of view.

The fears and concerns of local residents are not only reflected in Słodownik's words. More and more people are reporting unpleasant experiences during checks, especially when it comes to discrimination based on skin color. Everyday life at the border has already become a challenge for many. In addition, the legal uncertainties have contributed to the delay in border controls after a Berlin administrative court found that some of the rejections at the border were classified as “unlawful”.

Cross-border responsibility

Germany is in a delicate situation when it comes to migration policy. The federal government, under pressure from a growing debate about tightening migration policy, is considering a comprehensive expansion of controls and is even discussing rejections. Initiatives from the Netherlands demonstrate a similar ambition, resulting in an overall political climate that is causing concern among many EU neighboring countries. An overview of the daily news shows that the Austrian Interior Minister has already made it clear that Austria will not accept rejected asylum seekers - a step that further heats up the issue.

The discussions surrounding migration policy and border controls appear to be increasing in complexity. This makes it clear that proposed solutions at European level are necessary in order to meet the challenges at the external borders. Between the concerns of local residents, the role of the vigilante group and the political currents in the EU, the region on the Oder is facing an uncertain future that could have both an economic and social impact.