By Jo Harper
WARSAW (AA) - Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced proposals on Saturday to reform the European Union’s asylum procedures, including a temporary suspension of the right to asylum, as part of a broader plan to strengthen Poland's borders and control migration.
Speaking at his party convention in Otwock, near Warsaw, Tusk said, “One of the elements of the migration strategy will be the temporary, territorial suspension of the right to asylum, and I will demand the right to recognize this decision in Europe.” He claimed that the current asylum policies are being exploited by figures like Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as by human traffickers.
Tusk stressed that Poland must “regain 100% control over who enters and leaves” the country, asserting that the asylum system is being misused. Poland has been a main route for migrants, especially those from the Middle East and Africa, crossing illegally over the border from Belarus, who, Tusk argued, are being pushed by Belarusian authorities to destabilize Poland and the EU.
Addressing criticisms of Poland’s approach to border security, Tusk defended strict border measures, saying, “There is no more humane policy for preventing disaster on the border than effective protection of this border.”
Tusk also attacked the previous government led by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, accusing it of creating a “corrupt system” that allowed “hundreds of thousands” of unwanted migrants to enter Poland, either through border crossings or visa policies. He alleged that PiS’s handling of migration had compromised Polish security and was not aligned with national interests.
Reflecting on recent tensions, Tusk referenced the death of a Polish soldier on the border in May, expressing concern for the challenges faced by security forces. He also voiced opposition to the EU’s proposed migration pact, describing it as a threat to Polish sovereignty. “We will not implement European ideas if we are certain that they harm our interests,” he said.
Tusk also touched on migrant integration, a topic central to growing nationalist sentiments in Europe, saying that “If someone wants to come to Poland, they must accept Polish standards, customs, and must want to integrate.”