Polish president signs law restricting right to claim asylum

WARSAW

Polish President Andrzej Duda on Wednesday signed into law a bill allowing the government to suspend the right to claim asylum for people entering Poland in what he called “migration instrumentalization,” a reference to Belarus sending migrants over the Polish border as part of its and Russia’s so-called ‘hybrid war,’ Polish media reported.

Poland’s Interior Ministry will be empowered to temporarily restrict the right to claim international protection if it deems “instrumentalization of migration” is occurring, if it “constitutes a serious and real threat to security” and if restriction of asylum rights is deemed necessary to counter that threat.

Certain categories of people will remain allowed to claim asylum, including minors, pregnant women, people who require special health care and families. The suspension will apply for up to 60 days, after which it can be renewed with the approval of parliament.

The bill was passed by parliament in February with support from lawmakers in both the ruling coalition and the opposition.

Duda, connected with the opposition, said he doubted Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s commitment to clamping down on illegal immigration, an issue that is likely to play a major part in May’s presidential election to select Duda’s successor.

Tusk last week said that Poland would stop complying with European Union rules requiring it to take back asylum seekers from Germany and will not comply with the parts of the EU’s migration pact that require the relocation of asylum seekers.

Since 2021, thousands of migrants and asylum seekers – most from the Middle East and Africa – have been trying to cross the border, most pushed by Belarusian authorities.

According to the latest statistics from the Polish Border Guard, the number of illegal crossing attempts is rising again with the arrival of spring and May’s election.