Media: Germany considers scaling back border patrols with Poland

The German police union has called for a reduction in the number of federal officers deployed at the Polish-German border, urging that resources be redirected to airports and train stations, Do Rzeczy reports.

“We are calling for a reduction in the number of officers involved in the current border controls and for the reallocation of existing resources to other priority areas of police work,” said union representative Andreas Broska.

Knut Abraham, Coordinator of German-Polish Intersocietal and Cross-Border Cooperation said that the ongoing border controls disrupt daily life for residents in the region. “The normal state of affairs in Europe is open borders,” he added.

The issue stems from German Interior Minister German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt’s earlier decision to maintain controls at all national borders at least until September, with the measures aimed at curbing illegal migration.

The controls have also caused difficulties for students at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder). Travel time between the two parts of the campus has increased from 17 minutes to 45 minutes. One student said, “It feels as if I’m doing something illegal, but I’m just studying here.”

By Vafa Guliyeva