Residents of Słubice and Frankfurt from the Oder: There are no illegal immigrants here, it is propaganda

The European two -city, German Frankfurt nad Odrą and Polish Słubice, on Sunday, a few hours before the introduction of the Polish border control on the side of the Polish, seems indifferent to them. Inhabitants of the Polish-German border unanimously think that there is no problem with illegal immigration, it is propaganda.

There were no signs of tension in Frankfurt on the Oder on Sunday. People walked in the sun on the Oder, they looked relaxed.

The waiter in one of the local restaurants, when asked by PAP about the situation at the border, replied that the border controls that were introduced in Germany in October 2023 did not change anything.

“For me it makes no sense, because there are no illegal immigrants here,” he noted.

The German post, which is located just behind the bridge, consists of a few containers and a tent. The police conduct random inspections. When a vehicle is stopped, he must go to the tent, where it is checked by officers.

Słubice is divided from the German side of the border. At the end of the bridge connecting both banks of the Border Defense Movement (ROG) appointed by the national communities activist Robert Bąkiewicz. Dressed in characteristic yellow vests, members of the movement declare that they are guarding the border with people trying to cross it illegally.

“We have a top -down order that we can't talk to the media, please contact Mr. Robert Bąkiewicz,” answered PAP on duty. He looked like the oldest of the whole group and unlike the rest he did not have a vest, just a band on the shoulder with the ROG logo. “If the media will be normal, we'll talk,” he added.

Near the bridge, we were able to change a few words with the “border defender” heading to the station. “I came here as a citizen,” said the 50-year-old Poznanian, who joined the Bąkiewicz movement on Sunday. Asked if he saw illegal migrants, he first replied that yes, but asked for details he changed his mind and noted that “he had just arrived.”

“It's all media noise and propaganda, we are sitting here, drinking coffee and we live calmly,” said four residents of Słubice in an interview with PAP, who met in a local cafe on Sunday afternoon.

The gentleman sitting at the table next to his wife and child added: “All this action with immigrants destroys the image of the city.”

When asked about the borders' defense movement, they replied that it was “pure politics” because in their city there are no problems with illegal immigration. “Who is Robert Bąkiewicz? (…) Why didn't he say anything, how PiS gave his visas?” They asked. In their opinion, the decision of Prime Minister Donald Tusk on the introduction of temporary border controls will not change anything and is another political play.

In the late afternoon, members of the Borders' Defense Movement left their position, and the Border Guard with the support of the police carried out random controls. One car and two passers -by with dark skin color were detained, who were released after identification. The Border Guard officer stood at a pedestrian crossing in the middle of the road. Two policemen and a border guard stood next to him next to him.

In addition to PAP journalist, there were also two television cameras that recorded officers. When the camera operators left the bridge, the officer standing in the middle of the road and the policemen and the watchtower left the bridge to the side of the road.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced a temporary restoration of control at the Polish border with Germany and Lithuania. In his opinion, this is necessary to reduce uncontrolled flows of migrants. Border controls will be restored on Monday and will apply until August 5.

Until now, Poland has temporarily restored controls at Schengen's internal borders, justifying them with the severity of migration, epidemics and important international events. This was the case, for example, during the EURO 2012 championship co-organized by Poland and during the Covid-19 pandemic.

On the border of the Polish-German Antoni Wiśniewski-Mischal (PAP)

AWM/ Miś/ JPN/