Poland to Suspend Asylum Rights

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced plans to temporarily suspend asylum rights as part of a new national migration strategy aimed at curbing illegal immigration and safeguarding national security.

Speaking at a congress of the Civic Platform party in Warsaw, Tusk emphasized that the move was necessary to address the misuse of asylum systems in Europe.

Tusk stated that the suspension is a core element of his government’s migration plan, which will soon be presented to the cabinet. He also vowed to seek European recognition for Poland's decision, asserting that the right to asylum is frequently exploited.

“After adopting this strategy, we will reduce illegal migration to a minimum. We will get rid of practices that de facto do not correspond to Polish interests, which violate the security of Poles and the Polish state. We will end such practices to fully restore control over who comes here, why, and how useful they can be,” Tusk said, adding that Poland will only welcome migrants who are committed to integrating into Polish society.

He cited Germany as an example of failed migrant integration and underscored the need for migrants to respect Polish values.

Tusk also voiced strong opposition to the new EU Asylum and Migration Pact, set to take effect in 2026, pledging that Poland will not implement any policies that jeopardize its security. We will not implement any European ideas if we know for sure that they will put our security at risk," he declared.

The new migration strategy comes as Poland faces an uptick in illegal border crossings, with over 2,500 attempts reported in September alone.

The country has intensified border security since the 2021 migrant crisis on the Belarusian-Polish border, a situation Poland blames on Belarus, though Minsk denies responsibility.