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Poland’s New Border Checks Trigger Seven-Kilometer Traffic Jam on A12

Running until August 5, the measures have clogged the A12 after 1,800 officers were deployed to counter migrant smuggling.

Overview

  • Poland reinstated temporary controls at 52 crossings with Germany and Lithuania to target migrant smuggling networks.
  • Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak emphasized that ordinary travelers face no added risks from the checks.
  • About 800 border guards, 300 police officers, 200 military police and 500 home guard volunteers are enforcing the measures.
  • After early reports of smooth passage, the controls produced a seven-kilometer backlog on the A12 near Frankfurt (Oder) by July 10.
  • Germany maintains its intensified spot checks from October 2023 and Poland has declined offers for joint patrols ahead of a July 18 EU migration summit.