Poland to impose temporary border checks; “I warned the German side in March,” says Donald Tusk

Poland will introduce temporary border checks with Germany starting Monday, following growing tensions over irregular migration across the shared frontier. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the decision was a response to Germany’s unilateral tightening of border controls last month, which Warsaw claims has resulted in the return of asylum seekers to Polish territory.

“I warned the German side back in March,” Tusk said during a press briefing on Tuesday. “Our patient position is wearing out.”

Germany introduced spot checks along its borders under the previous Social Democrat-led coalition. The new conservative-led government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz expanded those measures after taking office in May. Merz dismissed the accusation that Germany was forcing migrants into Poland, calling the controls temporary and coordinated in advance with Tusk.

Poland’s planned controls will also cover its eastern border with Lithuania. Tusk said the move was necessary to prevent illegal crossings from Belarus. Warsaw has earlier accused Minsk of intentionally directing migrants into EU territory, alleging it is an attempt to destabilize Poland.

Videos circulating on social media appear to show migrants crossing from Germany into Poland. These have sparked protests at border points and intensified political pressure. Opposition parties in Poland have accused the government of permitting the return of migrants from Germany without adequate response.

Migration was a key issue in last month’s presidential election, where nationalist candidate Karol Nawrocki secured a surprise victory. Since then, Tusk’s government has seen a decline in opinion polls.

At a joint press conference with Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Luc Frieden, Merz reiterated Germany’s support for free movement but said the border checks were necessary to manage migration. “We have a shared problem with Poland,” he said. “We must tackle irregular migration and protect the EU’s external borders.”

German border police have been authorized to turn back migrants lacking valid documents. The move has been criticized by parties like the Greens, who argue it violates EU asylum laws. Former Chancellor Angela Merkel also expressed concern. “If someone says ‘asylum’ here at the German border, they must be granted a procedure,” she said in a WDR documentary aired Monday. “Right at the border, if you like, but a procedure. That’s how I understand European law.”

Germany’s ruling coalition says local authorities are struggling with migrant numbers and have called for migration to be reduced to manageable levels. The government is also under pressure from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which made gains in the February national elections and now serves as the main opposition party in the Bundestag.

Poland has been reinforcing its eastern frontier with Belarus through fences and electronic surveillance since 2021, when a migrant crisis first emerged on NATO’s eastern flank. The new checks, according to Warsaw, are an extension of these existing security measures.