Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland has proclaimed a shutdown of the borders to asylum seekers coming from Belarus, asserting that he’s defending his nation’s security from both Russia and Belarus’s “hybrid warfare” strategies. These strategies involve pushing migrants across the country’s periphery. This action contradicts the collective migration policy of the European Union (EU) and threatens to disrupt the tenuous agreement among EU leaders on immigration at the forthcoming summit, which is anticipated to be dominated by this matter.
This policy aligns with a notable shift towards firm stances, following gains by populists in elections, and was predated by the choice of the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, to enforce checks at all German border stations earlier this month. France has since expressed a desire to mimic this approach.
In a pre-summit letter penned to leaders, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission President, suggested the EU contemplate introducing laws for “return hubs” in third world countries. This follows the course of Italy’s controversial new action of deporting migrants to Albania. This quickens the removal of illegal immigrants, adding to the contention, considering the Commission had previously opposed a similar deportation plan by Britain involving Rwanda.
Poland’s temporary plan disallows refugees coming from Belarus and claiming asylum after entering its borders. Poland posits that Russia and its affiliates are exploiting migrants to destabilise the EU, instigating anti-immigration sentiment, and misusing resources. As many as 2,500 attempted border crossings into Poland from Belarus were reported last month, with the year’s total exceeding 26,000, including a significant number of immigrants from the Middle East and Africa.
However, following Poland’s path might be dangerous and ill-advised for the EU. Poland’s policy, which involves sending back migrants without evaluating their asylum requests, could possibly contravene the European Convention on Human Rights. A seeming lurch to the right by Europe’s leaders, who appear reluctant to advocate for a humane and efficient asylum system, is a cause for concern.