Right-wing extremists exercise authority over Polish border patrol forces.
In the heart of Europe, a political divide over migration policy and border sovereignty is unfolding in Poland. Right-wing citizen militias, such as the Movement for Border Defense led by Robert Bakiewicz, are persistently conducting border patrols along the German frontier, despite official border checks by the Polish authorities.
These groups, who question the authenticity and sincerity of the government's border controls, believe that the official measures might be more for show than genuine enforcement. As a result, they have taken it upon themselves to conduct mobile patrols and recruit volunteers to stop and search vehicles for migrants.
The ruling Law and Justice party (PiS), led by future president Karol Nawrocki, supports these independent patrols and criticizes the pro-European government under Prime Minister Donald Tusk for what they see as inadequate migration management and excessive compliance with Germany regarding migrant acceptance. PiS praises these grassroots responses to perceived government failure in securing the border.
In contrast, the Polish government led by PM Tusk views these militias negatively. Tusk has called their actions illegal and disruptive, emphasizing the necessity of restoring official border controls to manage migration effectively. Interior Minister Tomasz Simoniak has warned that unauthorized exercises of authority by militias will face strict repercussions.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt of the CSU ordered more intensive border controls shortly after the new federal government took office in May. As a response, the Polish border guard is now officially conducting controls at the border with Germany. These controls are a result of actions taken by the German government, specifically the policy of turning back asylum seekers at the border.
Robert Bakiewicz, a leader of the "Movement for the Defense of Borders," is organizing these patrols to monitor the work of the border guard. Activists from these militias have reportedly withdrawn from border crossings but are now conducting mobile patrols in the border region.
The controls by the Polish border guard are taking place at the borders with both Germany and Lithuania. While the government views these citizen militias as a threat, the right-wing conservative opposition party PiS and its supported future president Karol Nawrocki have praised these self-appointed patrols, accusing the pro-European government of accepting a large number of migrants from Germany and failing to control the border situation.
Despite the ongoing political conflict, it can be inferred that figures like Karol Nawrocki, as a public figure often aligned with state institutions, would likely support official border control measures over unauthorized militia activity, though this is speculative without explicit sources.
In summary, the continuation of right-wing citizen militias' border patrols reflects ongoing political conflict in Poland over migration policy and border sovereignty, with PiS endorsing grassroots border defense efforts and the Tusk government insisting on state-controlled border management.
Community policy discussions within Poland's political landscape are increasingly focusing on the controversy surrounding migration policy and border sovereignty, forging links with the broader category of general-news.
The rise of right-wing citizen militias, such as the Movement for Border Defense, presents a challenge to the official employment policy of border control, as these groups question the authenticity of the government's border measures. Crime-and-justice aspects also emerge, as unauthorized border patrols led by Robert Bakiewicz and other militia leaders potentially breach existing legislation.
