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Germany Defends Border Returns as Poland Threatens Closure

Interior Minister Dobrindt's intensified border controls face legal and diplomatic challenges, with Poland refusing migrant returns and invoking EU treaty exceptions.

Beamte der Bundespolizei am deutsch-polnischen Grenzübergang Stadtbrücke in Frankfurt (Oder). Seit Oktober 2023 gibt es feste Kontrollen in Brandenburg an der Grenze zu Polen.
Der ehemalige Präsident des Bundesverfassungsgerichts, Hans-Jürgen Papier
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Overview

  • Germany's Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt continues to enforce strict border controls, returning asylum seekers even if they request protection upon arrival.
  • Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has threatened to close Poland's border, citing Article 72 of the TFEU, and has refused to accept migrants returned under Germany's current policy.
  • Critics argue the policy violates EU laws, including the Dublin-III Regulation and Schengen principles, while supporters claim Article 72 TFEU provides legal justification.
  • Rights groups warn the measures disproportionately harm vulnerable migrants, including unaccompanied minors, due to inadequate screening at the border.
  • Germany reports over 1,676 people turned back in the first two weeks of the policy, as legal challenges loom at the European Court of Justice and Germany's Constitutional Court.