Poland calls for EU to deny residence to migrants who enter illegally
It pointed to its own experience of dealing with "weaponised" migration from Belarus.
Poland has urged the European Union to restrict residence rights for migrants who enter the bloc illegally, in response to the recent migration crisis at Ceuta, Spain's African exclave. During a meeting of EU interior ministers, Poland shared its experience with "weaponized" migration from Belarus, which led the Polish government to restrict asylum rights for those who cross irregularly.
Tens of thousands of migrants entered Ceuta last week, with dozens dying during the perilous crossing from Morocco. Spain has returned the vast majority of them to Morocco. The incident prompted calls from European leaders to limit Spain's participation in the Schengen free movement zone, despite the requirement of identity checks for those leaving Ceuta for the EU.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for Spain to follow Poland's example if Schengen is to survive. Poland has strengthened its border with Belarus, investing billions in physical and electronic barriers and deploying thousands of soldiers, police, and border guards. A court deemed Poland's partial suspension of the right to asylum justified.
At a meeting on Tuesday, Poland urged EU member states to recognize migration as a security challenge and to control migration fully, as otherwise it can be used against EU values. The European Council expressed solidarity with Spain and appreciated its efforts to deal with the crisis, while calling for continued action against migrant smuggling networks and reinforcement of EU borders.
Written by urgent.news from Notes from Poland's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
