Poland Boosts Border Controls, Citing 'Illegal Migration'

Poland reinstated border controls on Monday with Germany and Lithuania, following similar German restrictions imposed earlier this year aimed at discouraging asylum-seekers. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose government recently survived a confidence vote in parliament, announced the restrictions last week, per the AP. Pressure has been mounting after far-right groups in Poland have alleged that Germany was transporting migrants into Polish territory after they reached Western Europe. The reinstated controls, which began overnight Sunday, will last for an initial period of 30 days, though authorities haven't ruled out extending them, according to the Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration.

"Illegal migration is simply a crime," Polish Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said Sunday during a news conference. The border guard discovered an alleged smuggling operation within minutes of the controls taking effect overnight, officials said. An Estonian citizen was allegedly trying to take four Afghan nationals over the Lithuanian border, according to the Polish News Agency. "We're doing this for you as well," Tusk said during a joint news conference with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, the news agency reported. "For the Germans, for the Dutch, for the French—because this is the European Union border."

The Polish border with Lithuania, which stretches 65 miles, will see checks in 13 locations. Poland's border with Germany, 290 miles long, will have controls at 52 crossing points. Lithuanian authorities said on Monday they were ready to deal with possible traffic jams at the Polish border. After taking office in May, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who made a tougher migration policy a pillar of his election campaign, ordered more police at the border and said that some asylum-seekers trying to enter Europe's biggest economy would be turned away. Last week, Merz said that Poland and Germany were in close contact to keep the impact of Germany's border controls "as low as possible."