The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration in Poland has recently announced that they will be extending border checks with Slovakia until November 22. This action was initially taken on October 4 in response to the substantial flow of migrants attempting to enter Poland from Slovakia.
Deputy Interior Minister, Maciej Wasik, highlighted the effectiveness of these checks, stating that they have had a significant impact in curbing illegal crossings. Wasik also used the opportunity to encourage the Slovak authorities to initiate comparable measures on their end.
These temporary controls, instituted on the basis of the Schengen Borders Code, were first introduced in early October and were later extended to November 2. Poland’s Interior Minister, Mariusz Kaminski, emphasized the importance of strengthening external borders as well as reforming the EU’s asylum system in response to ongoing migration challenges.
On similar lines, both Austria and the Czech Republic have also introduced border checks with Slovakia and extended them to November 2. The Czech Republic has further extended these border checks up until November 22. The Interior Minister for the Czech Republic, Vit Rakusan, emphasized the critical need for stronger protection at the Czech-Slovak border until a comprehensive protective measure is established for the EU’s external border.
However, these stringent border regulations have drawn criticism. The Polish Commissioner for Human Rights has denounced the treatment of migrants, arguing that these border checks – which allow for returning foreigners illegally crossing the Polish border without assessing their situation – lead to violations of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.