Poland today sharply criticized the German government's plans to introduce of temporary control of checkpoints along all land borders of Germany in an attempt to deal with illegal migration, DPA reported, BTA reported.
"This approach is unacceptable," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in Warsaw and added that the planned measures would mean the de facto cancellation of the Schengen area in Europe. "What Poland needs is not a strengthening of control along our border, but a fuller involvement of countries like Germany in the protection and security of the EU's external borders, added Tusk.
He also said that his government would ask other countries affected by the German government's decision for urgent consultations on steps to be taken within the EU.
German Foreign Minister Nancy Feser yesterday ordered the introduction of temporary border controls at all German land borders in order to limit the number of illegal migrants. Additional passport checks will initially last six months.
Border checks were already in place at Germany's borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland from October 2023. The checks have been extended several times and are set to remain in place until 15 December. Similar measures to limit illegal migration have been introduced at the German-Austrian border since September 2015. The newly adopted measures affect the land borders with France, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, DPA points out.