Border controls on Poland’s borders with Germany and Lithuania have been extended until October, Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński announced on Sunday.
“I was at our eastern border. There, we are trying to block the eastern route of illegal migration and are achieving great success in this. The 98% tightness of our barrier means that… illegal migration is moving to other areas. Hence the decision to extend temporary border controls on the German and Lithuanian borders for another two months, until October 4 this year,” Kierwiński said, as quoted by the ministry’s press service.
The minister stressed that “our European partners fully understand the decision to extend temporary border controls.”
“The relevant order has been forwarded to the European Commission for notification. Poland is effectively ensuring the security of its borders – in the east, west and north,” Kierwiński concluded.
Poland reinstated temporary border controls with Lithuania and Germany in early July. Initially, this regime was supposed to remain in effect from July 7 to August 5. At the border with Lithuania, vehicles are checked at 13 points, with controls being selective.
According to Warsaw, this decision was made to stop so-called secondary illegal migration from Belarus, where immigrants are trying to enter Poland and Germany via Latvia and Lithuania.
