“During the first day of temporary border controls introduced between Slovakia and Poland, more than 5,800 persons and more than 2,200 vehicles were checked. Most of the controlled persons were Poles – nearly 2800, as well as Slovaks – 2055. Also, about 150 Ukrainians and about 150 migrants were checked as well as citizens of several other countries”, said Border Guard spokeswoman Lt Anna Michalska.

The spokeswoman said that since Wednesday more than a dozen migrants had been detained, including five persons during checks on the train and nine after a chase.

The reintroduction of temporary border control on the border with Slovakia was announced on Tuesday by the head of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration (MIA), Mariusz Kamiński. The decision was related to increasing migratory pressure on the so-called Balkan route, one of whose branches runs through Slovakia. According to the head of the ministry, illegal migration is a key problem in contemporary Europe.

“The ease with which illegal migrants obtain the right to stay in the EU and the high social benefits cause another influx. This policy is irresponsible, inadequate to the challenges, and ideologised. The only appropriate response to the wave of illegal migration flooding Europe is a tough defence of the EU’s external borders and a change to the asylum system in the European Union. Otherwise, further waves of migrants will continue to reach Europe”, said Minister Kaminski.

Border control of persons on the Polish-Slovak border was temporarily reinstated from midnight on Wednesday, 4 October. “Controls are only carried out on the entry to Poland. Borders can only be crossed at designated places. Persons or vehicles to be checked are selected based on risk analysis. Travellers crossing the Polish-Slovak border must remember to have their travel documents – an identity card or passport”, reports the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration.

Arkadiusz Słomczyński