Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the reintroduction of temporary border controls with Germany and Lithuania, effective July 7, 2025. This move comes as the pro-European government faces mounting pressure from the opposition regarding its migration policy. Tusk aims to demonstrate a tough stance and appease domestic critics, reports DW.
“We have decided to reintroduce temporary controls at the border with Germany and Lithuania,” Tusk stated in Warsaw. Starting next Monday, Polish border guards, reinforced by police and soldiers, will inspect passenger and vehicle traffic at these borders.
Tusk: “Polish Patience Has Run Out”
“I warned the German side in March and have discussed this several times with the new Chancellor,” Tusk said during a televised government meeting. He justified his decision by stating that Polish patience had run out, and that unilateral measures by the German side had caused tensions and fostered a “sense of asymmetry” for Poland.
Tusk is particularly concerned about a new German practice of deportations at the border. The purpose of the border controls is to “effectively stop unjustified returns of migrants from Germany.” However, the Polish Prime Minister’s decision, which restricts freedom of travel—a significant achievement of European integration—is primarily driven by internal political reasons.
Migration Policy Dominates Polish Debates
The threat of illegal migration and the situation at Poland’s western border were key issues in the recent presidential election campaign. Both the conservative right-wing candidate, Karol Nawrocki, and his nationalist right-wing competitor, Slawomir Mentzen from the far-right Konfederacja party, warned against migrants belonging to “foreign cultures,” whom they equated with violent criminals, and called for the closure of the border with Germany.
In recent weeks, the German-Polish border has become a flashpoint in Polish political debates due to the new German government’s hardened migration policy. Nationalist activist Robert Bakiewicz even founded a “civil guard” to “protect” the border. This self-proclaimed volunteer force patrols the border region and targets individuals based on their skin color.
President-elect Nawrocki, who will take office on August 6, 2025, defended the self-proclaimed border guard against criticism. “I thank the border defenders, led by Mr. Bakiewicz. They are fulfilling the state’s duties that the current government cannot handle,” Nawrocki told Polsat television.
A Test for Tusk and Criticisms
The border situation is seen by commentators in Poland as a crucial test for Prime Minister Tusk. “If the government does not regain control of the border and does not give Poles a sense of security, insecurity will become political ammunition for the opposition,” warned Rzeczpospolita columnist Jacek Niznikiewicz. He added that the self-proclaimed volunteer force could also start operating in city streets and could turn into a “Polish Ku-Klux-Klan.”
Legal expert Witold Klaus from the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN) criticized Tusk’s decision for border controls. “The figures are insignificant. The government offers no rational argument for border controls. The controls are unfounded,” he stated.
“Tusk is not dictating the issues, but following the sentiment fueled by the right,” opined Adam Traczyk from the non-partisan organization “More in Common Polska,” which researches Polish society.
