Germany demanded on Tuesday that the European Commission "take measures" to limit the flow of migrants from Belarus to its EU neighbor Poland. German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told the "Bild" newspaper that the influx of migrants is a problem "that Poland or Germany cannot handle alone." He added, "We must help the Polish government secure its external borders. In fact, this should be within the responsibilities of the European Commission, and I am now calling on it to take action."
This appeal from the German minister came after Poland announced that it had repelled an attempt by hundreds of migrants to cross its border illegally from Belarus, while warning that thousands more are gathering near this border, which is considered part of the EU's external borders. Polish government spokesman Piotr Müller issued a strong warning on Monday, stating, "We fear an escalation of this kind of activity on the Polish border in the near future and that it could turn violent."
The German minister confirmed that his country supports its neighbor's decision to build a wall along the border with Belarus. He stated, "We cannot criticize her (...) for protecting the external borders of the European Union." He added, "Not with firearms, of course, but with other available means."
The European Union accuses Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of orchestrating the arrival of this wave of migrants and refugees to the eastern side of the EU in response to the European sanctions imposed on his country following the brutal repression of opposition by his regime. Germany has seen a sharp increase in the number of migrants coming from Belarus through Poland. In October, the number of these migrants reached around 5,000, according to German authorities.
Berlin's response to this wave of migration has been to tighten border controls and deploy more police officers. Senior Interior Ministry official Stefan Mayer told "Bild" that "Germany can quickly send police forces to assist Poland if the latter wishes."
