The recent implementation of increased border controls by Poland, commencing on Monday, is creating significant strain on the cross-border region between Germany and Poland, according to Knut Abraham, the German Federal Government’s Special Representative for Polish Affairs and a member of the Bundestag (German Parliament) from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
Abraham emphasized the disruption to a region that has flourished over three and a half decades as a successful integrated economic space. He stated that the controls are also impacting critical production and supply chains which rely on the smooth flow of goods and people across the border.
While acknowledging the controls are “currently politically necessary to demonstrate a shift in thinking regarding migration” Abraham underscored that they are not a sustainable solution. He argued that addressing migration challenges requires cooperative action at the external borders of the European Union. He specifically called for Germany and Poland to collaborate towards that objective.
The Special Representative urged both nations to ensure the border controls are implemented with minimal disruption. He proposed several short-term measures, including establishing additional lanes at border crossings, creating joint German-Polish control points and increasing inland checks. The aim, he explained, should be to deter illegal border crossings by signalling their inefficacy. Abraham cautioned against the hardening of these controls, emphasizing that a permanent shift would be counter to the interests of both Germany and Poland.