Border with Poland - controls now on both sides

Offer from Dobrindt

Federal Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) ordered more intensive border controls shortly after the new federal government took office in May. At the same time, he ordered that asylum seekers could also be turned back at the border in future. The rejections from Germany are a controversial topic in Poland - partly because right-wing activists have spread the rumor that German officials are transporting asylum seekers who were not previously in Poland to the neighbouring country.

Dobrindt has offered his Polish counterpart joint controls on the German side of the common border, according to his own words. So far, however, this offer has not been accepted.

Representatives of German business associations in the border region had pointed out the negative consequences of border controls for the movement of goods and commuters.

Oliver from Eberswalde is in Schwedt once a week for work and then drives to Poland to refuel. He says about the checks: "They don't really bother me that much, it's good for security that there's less smuggling." It's only difficult when the border guards don't speak German and you don't know what exactly they want. But as long as only the papers are checked and not the trunk, it's fine, says the young man.

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