Poland defends border checks as German officials warn of fallout

Polish authorities said on Monday that new checks at the German border had already stopped several people from entering the country illegally, as German lawmakers warned of the consequences of Poland's stricter controls.

Shortly after checks began at midnight (2200 GMT Sunday), Polish border guards announced on X that they had apprehended an Estonian citizen travelling with four Afghan nationals in his car who were trying to enter the country illegally.

Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said the man thought he would make it across the border before the checks were introduced. "And that is precisely the proof that these checks are necessary."

The spot checks, set to run initially until August 5, are being conducted at the 52 crossings along Poland's border with Germany, as well as at Poland's 13 crossings to Lithuania.

The Polish government ordered the measures in response to German border controls, which have been in place since October 2023 but increased recently under Germany's new government.

"Everything is going smoothly, traffic is flowing smoothly so far," Siemoniak told the TVN24 broadcaster.

German officials meanwhile warned that the checks could cause considerable difficulties, especially for people living in the border region.

The conservative lawmaker Knut Abraham told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland media group that important supply chains are dependent on "unimpeded" border traffic, and warned that the checks place a heavy burden on the region.

Senior Green Party lawmaker Britta Hasselmann also highlighted the disruption for people in the border region. However, she said Germany is to blame for the policy.

"The introduction of Polish border controls is a consequence of Germany going it alone at all its borders," she wrote on X.