German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke to his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk on Friday after criticism came from Warsaw over Germany’s plan to introduce further border controls.
The two leaders agreed in a telephone conversation that the challenges posed by illegal migration and human trafficking can only be tackled together and that close cooperation between European partners is essential, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said in Berlin.
Hebestreit said Scholz was explaining to Tusk his government’s new “migration policy measures” that are due to come into effect from Monday at Germany’s borders with Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Border controls are already in place at Germany’s other borders, including Poland, despite Schengen area rules on free movement.
The Polish prime minister called the German plans “unacceptable” on Tuesday.
Another topic of discussion was Belarus’ “cynical instrumentalisation of migrants”, Hebestreit, where leaders agreed to strengthen the protection of Europe’s external borders.
Poland and the Baltic states accuse Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of allowing migrants to enter the European Union through his country, in an attempt to destabilise the Union.