Poland: Seal EU borders

By Grzegorz  Schetna

For the last few weeks, Europe has quarreled and quibbled about how to divide up 120,000 refugees among EU member countries. While we talk, the wave of refugees continues to grow and grow. Instead we should be jumping into action with a broad plan that tackles the causes of the exodus as well as the symptoms. And we need to strike the right balance between helping those in need and guaranteeing the security of our citizens.
UNHCR statistics show that almost half a million refugees have come to Europe since the start of this year — and their numbers are increasing every day. We see this on our television screens, on the front pages of newspapers. Every country directly affected by the problem is doing what it can to face up to the challenge, but the scale is too large for any one country to tackle alone. The dilemma will only get worse if Europe does not talk with one voice. It must take decisive action based on the spirit of solidarity but also take responsibility for the security of its citizens.

Poland is by no means opposed to taking in refugees. In July, before the migration crisis had reached the desperate levels we see today, Poland announced that it would voluntarily give shelter to 2,000 refugees from Syria and Eritrea. Over the past 20 years, almost 90,000 Chechen refugees have come to Poland, as it was the first safe country they reached. We took them in, we showed solidarity, because Poles know what it is like to need help from abroad at times of need. We experienced this first hand during times of war and repression in our country. That too is why we are helping hundreds of thousands of migrants from Ukraine, who have come to our country not only to escape conflict but also in search of a better and more stable life. We will continue to demonstrate this solidarity in the future towards those who need it the most, depending on how the situation develops. In this light, we regard the quota system proposed by the European Commission as a half-measure and one that does not fully address the problem.
The first priority must be to seal EU borders. Only by doing so will we be able to avoid further chaos and brutal skirmishes on the frontiers. Even countries that have until recently expressed a very open attitude towards taking in refugees now realize they have been overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problem. That is why we must become better and more effective in working with our EU neighbors. We must make sure that extradition agreements are enforced. Thorough border controls have to be implemented. This will require our assistance. We need to strengthen the infrastructure of the EU border states.
Without further ado we must invest in reception centers for refugees, where they would be identified and, based on their country of origin, assessed as to whether they are in fact refugees or economic migrants. Creating an EU list of safe countries, with proper criteria, would help us in this endeavor.
European Commission President Jean Claude-Juncker included many of these suggestions in his recent State of the Union address. But we need to act more effectively, and faster. Frontex, the Warsaw-based EU border control agency, must be strengthened so it can play a bigger role where it is most needed.
Another priority area is helping bolster stability in the countries from which the refugees are coming. It is not enough to provide humanitarian and development aid, we must also play a more active role in helping defuse conflicts, in particular in Syria and Libya. This is an important task for EU Council President Donald Tusk and EU High Representative Federica Mogherini.
Since the onset of terrorist activity by the Islamic State and the conflict in Ukraine, there has been talk about the “arc of instability” on Europe’s south-east borders. This instability, fueled by the uncontrolled exodus of refugees, has now caught us by surprise. We must correct this mistake as fast as possible. Failure to do this will lead to dangerously unpredictable consequences. Unless checked, the crisis is likely to have an impact on our politics, our economies, our societies as a whole. Every EU country has within it, to a greater or lesser extent, vocal elements that play on populism, antagonism and social phobias. Failing to make bold decisions today will open the door to their electoral success tomorrow.
A few days ago, my German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, said that Poland and Germany need to work together in helping shape EU migration policy. Apart from the size and potential of our countries, there are many reasons why this is a good idea. Over the last decades, our countries have shown in an exemplary manner how hostile neighbors can reconcile, becoming friends and important partners. We cannot allow the refugee crisis to divide and antagonize Europe. That is why we view the challenge put before us not in terms of compulsory quotas, which are probably outdated and insufficient by now, but in terms of solidarity. Above all, we must take quick and decisive action to find realistic ways to resolve this crisis.