Polish–German border crisis
| 2025 Polish–German border crisis | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Belarus–European Union border crisis | |||
 The Polish–German border | |||
| Date | 2025 | ||
| Location | Polish-German border | ||
| Caused by | Claims of Illegal immigration to Poland | ||
| Goals | Prevention of Illegal immigration to Poland | ||
| Methods | Protests, Vigilante border control | ||
| Status | Ongoing | ||
| Concessions | Border checks reintroduced by Poland | ||
| Parties | |||
| Casualties | |||
| Arrested | 5[1] | ||
The 2025 Polish–German border crisis is an ongoing crisis between Germany and Poland, sparked by claims of illegal migration encouraged by the German police.
Background
[edit]As Poland, Germany, and Lithuania are part of the Schengen area, border controls between them can only be carried out in exceptional circumstances. Typically, there is a free movement policy allowing people to cross borders within the zone. Since 2023, Germany has had controls at its borders with Poland and the Czech Republic in response to illegal migration. In 2024, the control was extended to all German borders.[2]
Crisis
[edit]On July 3, 2025, former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki stated that "The Polish western border is attacked by German services, through the flood of illegal immigrants", and that the Polish–German border must be protected by the inhabitants themselves, suggesting that police patrols, also Polish–German, are hostile to Polish citizens.[3] Since then, numerous groups, called "Citizen Patrols", such as the Ruch Obrony Granic (ROG), have emerged, engaging in vigilante border control.[4] The Polish President-elect, Karol Nawrocki has thanked Robert Bąkiewicz for establishing the ROG.[5]
The border protests have received support from the Confederation and Law and Justice parties, which have also condemned the alleged lack of response by Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the government.[4]
Response
[edit]Poland
[edit]On June 7, Poland reinstated border checks with Germany and Lithuania until August 5.[6][7]
References
[edit]- ^ "Granice pod nadzorem. Litwa i Niemcy zostały objęte selektywną kontrolą przez Polskę". biznes.interia.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2025-07-08.
- ^ "Poland to introduce border controls with Germany and Lithuania". euronews. 2025-07-06. Retrieved 2025-07-08.
- ^ "Skąd się wzięli migranci na granicy z Niemcami? Fakty kontra mity". Demagog (in Polish). Retrieved 2025-07-08.
- ^ a b Tilles, Daniel (2025-06-29). "Polish "citizen patrols" formed on German border to prevent migrant returns". Notes From Poland. Retrieved 2025-07-08.
- ^ "Nawrocki dziękuje Bąkiewiczowi za Ruch Obrony Granic. "To Tusk odpowiada za konflikty"". dziennik.pl (in Polish). 2025-07-03. Retrieved 2025-07-08.
- ^ "Poland imposes controls on Germany, Lithuania borders to check migration". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-07-08.
- ^ Connolly, Kate; Krupa, Jakub (2025-07-07). "Poland begins controls on borders with Germany and Lithuania". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-07-08.