Duda on Merz 'border controls: symbolically or seriously meant?

Duda on Merz 'border controls: symbolically or seriously meant?

Warschau, Polen - Poland's President Andrzej Duda recently commented on the announcements of the CDU chairman Friedrich Merz regarding tightened border controls and rejections on the German-Polish border. In an interview, which was published by Welt.de to strike while the German border authorities are planning to intensify their controls.

Duda was optimistic about the effects of these measures. He did not express any fears regarding the rejection of migrants who had previously reached Poland and sees the tightened controls as rather symbolic. Poland divides a 400-kilometer-long EU outer border with Belarus, through which many migrants enter the EU. In order to better protect this border, Warsaw has built a modern border fence, the expansion of which is continuously progressing.

migration and border policy in Europe

In 2024, around 250,900 people submitted an asylum application in Germany, which corresponds to a decline of about a third compared to 2023. According to Integration The number of unauthorized border crossings to Germany decreased by 36 % to around 83,000. Despite the increased border controls in Germany and other European countries, there is no clear connection between these measures and the number of refugees.

Most of the unauthorized border crossings took place across the German-Polish border, where 16,000 people were counted. A third of these cross-border crossings occurred via the Belarus route, which is becoming increasingly important for migrants. Scientists emphasize that migration routes quickly adapt to new controls, which questions the effectiveness of the border controls.

international conflicts and their consequences

DUDA also called for support for Ukraine from the new federal government in Germany, especially in the form of modern weapons such as the German March Aviation Taurus. With 4.7 %, Poland has the highest arms expenditure within NATO, with the aim of increasing it to five percent in the coming year. When asked about a possible leadership role in Germany in Europe, Duda put into perspective and emphasized that no country should force his voice to others.

The geopolitical tensions also have an impact on migration. In 2024, the numbers of people who had to leave their places of residence due to conflicts and crises rose by over five million. Duda expressed skepticism compared to Vladimir Putin's will to peace and doubts the willingness of the Russian president to end the war. This is another indication that global conflicts continue to influence migration in Europe.

With regard to migration to Europe, a current publication of Eurostat in 2023 exhibited most EU blame cards with over 69,000 permits Highly qualified non-EU workers. This number underlines the receiving potential of Germany and the continuing attraction of the country for migrants.