Schwerin warns of the consequences of Polish border controls for commuters!

Schwerin warns of the consequences of Polish border controls for commuters!

In the last few days, concerns about Poland's announced border controls have increased significantly. Schwerin's State Secretary Heiko Miraß emphasizes that border controls should take into account the interests of the people in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. He emphasizes the need for a “sense of proportion” in order not to burden cross-border commuters and other travelers. His experiences with the existing German controls paint a positive picture: no traffic jams or significant restrictions occurred, says Miraß. He further explains that the controls are merely a means of controlling immigration and cites the close economic ties between Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Poland as an important point. The holiday island of Usedom plays a central role.

From Monday, Poland is planning temporary controls on the border with Germany. This is in response to the random checks that Germany has been carrying out since October 2023. According to ZDF, these measures have become necessary because there has been an increase in unauthorized entries into the region. For example, in 2023, the federal police discovered 17 Syrians who had applied for asylum, including a 13-year-old, in a white refrigerated van. Such cases have aggravated the situation at the border, which is also confirmed by another incident with a demolished minivan carrying seven people.

One year of inspections

The past year of controls at the German-Polish border shows impressive figures: since their introduction in October 2023, for example, over 1,000 people have been turned back, the majority of which were Ukrainians. Interior Minister Christian Pegel calls this a success, as unauthorized entries rose from 749 in 2023 to 1,816 in 2024 - a strong increase of 142%. However, it is unclear whether this has influenced the decline in asylum applications in Germany, as [NDR](https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/Papiere-bitte-Ein-jahr-kontrollen-an-deutsch-polnischer-Grenze, Grenzkontrollen380.html) notes in its report.

Business representatives are concerned about the negative effects in the German-Polish metropolitan region. So far, however, there have been no major traffic jams and the federal police mainly carry out random checks. Nevertheless, Polish companies report difficulties, while German companies find the situation less problematic. Despite this positive feedback, there are calls for more staff and better equipment for border guards, as many officers have already worked over 100 hours of overtime.

Looking ahead, it remains to be seen whether controls will continue beyond February 2025. The IHK boss Torsten Haasch has already called for a return to a situation without controls and has pointed out the need for better protection of the EU's external borders. Political developments and the upcoming federal election year could also play a role in the decision on whether to continue the measures.