Border controls in Görlitz: traffic jam and anger for Polish commuters!

The discussion about German border controls on the German-Polish border increases. As the sächsische.de Remarkable home travel of many Poles on the A4, which also led to long traffic jams to All Saints' Day, an important holiday in Poland. This traffic situation has increased significantly since the introduction of inpatient border controls in October 2023. The mayor of Zgorzelec, Rafal Gronicz, has discussed traffic paralysis several times on public holidays and weekends and commented on the situation on Facebook. The problem was further discussed in a personal exchange with Jakub Woliński, who suits the border controls. Woliński lives in Görlitz and crosses the border several times a week, whereby he often experiences long traffic jams due to the controls.

The introduction of border controls resulted from a significant increase in refugee numbers, with the Federal Police Inspection Pirna registered over 7000 illegal entry in September 2023. By the end of November 2024, the number amounted to almost 9200, which corresponds to a decline of around two thirds compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, the number of nationwide asylum applications fell by around 29 percent. Gronicz also addressed the problem with politicians and the media. While Saxony and the Federal Ministry of the Interior regard the controls as a success, Gronicz describes them as a symbol policy with great influence on Zgorzelec. Together with Marta Stożek, a member of the Polish Parliament, you have formulated an appeal for the problem. In addition, it is noted that the traffic management in Zgorzelec could also contribute to the congestion problem.

Extension of controls and public reactions

like nd-aktuell.de on October 16, 2023 Nancy Faeser (SPD) introduced and initially apply until December 2024. These measures result from a situation that is considered "serious threat to public order or internal security", which allows temporary border controls in accordance with Article 25 of the Schengen Code. The Federal Ministry of the Interior indicates the control of "smuggling crime". Since the controls came into force, around 920 people have been arrested as "smugglers", although many of them do not act professionally, but often have family connections to migrants. Migration research supports the observation that the groups pursued as "smugglers" often form easily structured, non-professional networks.

These measures also have an impact on migration movements. Refugees could be forced to choose risky routes to avoid controls. Although Iregularly entered people can apply for asylum at the border, numerous applications are already rejected. In the first half of 2022, 46 cases of "legal pushbacks" were found on the German-Polish border, a practice that violates asylum law and has probably increased since the beginning of the controls in October. Despite the growing challenge, Görlitz-Zgorzelec remains an important point for migration experiences, albeit under tightened conditions for refugees.