2024-10-28 20:00 update: 2024-10-28, 20:03
Photo PAP/Jarek Praszkiewicz
The Polish foreign minister has said that it is essential to maintain control over the external borders of the European Union to ensure the continued functionality of the Schengen zone, which allows for passport-free movement.
Radoslaw Sikorski, who is currently on an official visit to the Netherlands, was asked by journalists on Monday about his assessment of the EU's migration pact and plans to send migrants to centres located outside the EU.
The foreign minister said that various countries have been experimenting with different measures to keep the Schengen zone operational and mentioned Italy and its controversial centre for migrants in Albania and Germany's unilateral decision to introduce controls on all of its land borders.
"If the Schengen zone, which is freedom to travel without visas, without passports within the EU, is to be maintained, its external border must be effectively controlled," he said.
Sikorski added that this was the goal of Poland's newly approved migration strategy as well as the tough decision taken by Prime Minister Donald Tusk to allow temporary suspension of the right to seek asylum in Poland. He clarified that this constituted a temporary suspension of this right, limited to specific territories, and included "special provisions for sensitive groups."
On October 15, the government approved a new migration strategy for the years of 2025-2030, which includes temporary and territorial suspension of asylum should the state's stability be threatened by an influx of migrants.
The document contains a proposal to amend procedures so that they could not be used by human traffickers aided by Russia and Belarus to exert pressure on Polish borders, at the same time taking into consideration the humanitarian aspect of the situation in Poland's border area.
The conclusions of the recent European Council summit in Brussels stated that neither Russia, nor Belarus or any other country may abuse the right to asylum. European leaders also expressed solidarity with Poland and EU member states facing such challenges.
During the press conference after the summit, Tusk noted the importance of those conclusions and welcomed the universal - in his opinion - understanding of the issue facing Poland. (PAP)
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