Poland reinstates checkpoints on borders with Germany, Lithuania

The Polish government has designated 52 checkpoints along the German border and 13 along the Lithuanian border.

WARSAW, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Poland reinstated checkpoints along its borders with Germany and Lithuania on Monday to curb illegal migration and reinforce national security, authorities said.

According to the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, the government has designated 52 checkpoints along the German border and 13 along the Lithuanian border.

The checks will remain in effect for 30 days, until Aug. 5, and be carried out by the Border Guard with support from police and Territorial Defense Force soldiers, said the ministry.

Konrad Szwed, a spokesman for the Board Guard, told the Polish Press Agency that inspections will be conducted randomly, with priority given to vans and vehicles carrying multiple passengers, as well as cars with tinted windows.

"Let's remember that this won't be the type of border control we had before joining the Schengen zone -- there won't be any barriers or fences," Szwed said. "Cars will pass through, and checks will only be conducted selectively based on our risk analysis. If a vehicle is stopped, the driver's and passengers' documents will be checked, as well as the trunk."

A nationwide alert has been issued to inform citizens of the new checks and encourage cooperation, Minister of the Interior and Administration Tomasz Siemoniak said during a press conference in Swiecko, a town on the Polish-German border.

"We want to minimize the inconvenience to citizens, including businesspeople and everyone who benefits from good cross-border cooperation. I also count on cooperation from local governments," Siemoniak said.

In October 2023, Germany introduced border control with Poland as part of broader efforts to curb illegal migration.