The German Interior Ministry has welcomed Poland’s decision to extend temporary border controls on its frontiers with Germany and Lithuania until October 4th.
A spokesperson for the ministry, responding to inquiries from the dts news agency in Berlin on Monday, stated that Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) had previously emphasized the importance of Poland’s border controls along the Lithuanian and German borders as a key element in the collaborative effort to manage irregular migration. The ministry maintains this assessment and therefore supports the extension announced by the Polish government.
Regarding Germany’s own measures, the spokesperson reiterated the government’s view that intensified border checks along all of Germany’s land borders are contributing to the implementation of its migration policy adjustments. A noticeable decrease in asylum application numbers compared to the previous year has been observed and the government intends to continue progressing along this trajectory.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU)’s recent visits to various German states, while focused on other matters, have apparently not highlighted the border controls. Deputy government spokesperson Sebastian Hille, in response to dts inquiries, indicated that the issue did not arise during the visit to Saarland last week. This suggests a lack of friction or problems in that region.
Notably, the Minister-President of Saarland, Anke Rehlinger (SPD), has previously voiced criticism of the tightened border controls. Currently, Saarland prioritizes mobile border patrols over stationary checkpoints.
