Temporary border controls were reintroduced on the Polish-Slovak border at the beginning of October. According to the latest draft regulation of the Ministry of Interior and Administration (MSWiA), they are to last at least until January 2, 2024.
On Wednesday, a draft regulation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration appeared on the website of the Government Legislation Center, which concerns temporary border control of persons crossing the state border with Slovakia.
According to the draft, temporary control at the border with Slovakia will be extended “for the period from December 4, 2023 to January 2, 2024.”
Checks at the border with Slovakia
“Taking into account the fact that there are still premises justifying the need to carry out controls on the Polish-Slovak section of the state border, the proposed regulation assumes the restoration of temporary border control of persons in the period from December 4, 2023 to January 2, 2024, pursuant to Article 25(1) 1 of the Schengen Borders Code” – indicated in the justification to the project.
Since October 4, the date of entry into force of the original regulation introducing the reintroduction of border control at the state border with the Slovak Republic, three regulations extending the restrictions have already been published. The inspection was extended for the following periods:
– from October 14, 2023 to November 2, 2023, – from November 3, 2023 to November 22, 2023 – and from November 23, 2023 to December 3, 2023.
In the latest draft, the ministry reminds that “pursuant to Article 25(1) of the Schengen Borders Code, in the event of a serious threat to public order or internal security, a Member State may exceptionally restore border control at internal borders, for a limited period not exceeding 30 days, or for a period foreseeable existence of this serious risk if it exceeds 30 days.
The final provision specifies that the regulation will enter into force on the day following its announcement.
Main photo source: PAP/Grzegorz Momot