Overview
- The Polish cabinet approved temporary controls from July 7 to August 5 at the borders with Germany and Lithuania to limit back-and-forth migrant movements.
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt emphasized shared goals on curbing irregular migration and promised to coordinate measures to ease disruption.
- Under Schengen rules internal checks require EU Commission notification and approval, and Brussels has yet to receive Warsaw’s formal request.
- The German police union warned that reciprocal controls risk creating a ‘ping-pong’ of migrants being bounced between the two countries.
- Poland’s move reflects rising pressure from right-wing opposition and nationalist patrols at border crossings to take tougher migration measures.