"A special task force will be formed". Polish and German interior ministers discussed border situation

In a statement shared on the X social media platform, minister Kamiński said he and his German counterpart Nancy Faeser had discussed in a phone call the situation on the Polish-German border and the increased migration pressure on the Balkan route.

In the statement, Kamiński stressed that "media reports regarding the alleged reestablishment of permanent controls at the Schengen internal border between Poland and Germany are untrue". "The German side has decided only to increase the intensity of activity of services on their side of the border with Poland. It does not constitute restoration of controls according to the current Schengen regulations," the interior minister added.

Kamiński also reminded that, due to the increased migration pressure on the so-called Balkan route, the Polish goverment had decided to intensify activity of services on the borders with Slovakia and the Czech Republic. In practice, the Polish services will be checking vans and other vehicles that could carry migrants.

The minister added that approx. 150 illegal migrants from the Middle East and Africa have been since Wednesday. "It was also revealed that the persons involved in the migrant smuggling had German short- and long-term residence titles (visas or right of residence)."

Kamiński also said he had informed his German counterparrt about this discovery. "We have agreed that Polish and German services will tighten cooperation in terms of fighting illegal migration. To that end, a special task force will be formed consisting of officers from Poland, Czech Republic, and Germany," he added.

Germany announced on Wednesday it will increase police patrols along "smuggling routes" on its border with Poland and the Czech Republic in an effort to prevent more migrants from entering the country.

The new measures would begin immediately, said minister Faeser.