Poland's former government could be prosecuted – for opening the border

Published December 20, 2024 at 11:09 AM

Foreign Affairs. The liberal government in Poland accuses its conservative predecessor of opening the door wide to mass immigration from the Third World. Former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and his colleagues are now at risk of prosecution, Remix News reports.

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An immigration scandal is shaking Poland, where the former government under Law and Justice (PiS) is accused of having enabled uncontrolled mass immigration from Africa and Asia.

A total of 366,000 visas were issued to immigrants from these regions, according to a report from the new liberal government led by Donald Tusk.

The “visa factory” scandal is believed to have played a decisive role in PiS's election loss earlier this year, and was widely used by the liberals to portray their rivals as traitors.

Marek Sowa, chairman of the parliamentary investigation committee, points to corruption and a system where visas could be issued without following applicable rules.

– The PiS government contributed to an uncontrolled influx of migrants with Polish visas. They knew the extent of the problem but chose not to act, Sowa said in parliament, the Sejm.

The report includes eleven reports to the prosecutor's office. Among the accused are former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau.

Between 2019 and 2023, Poland issued over two million national work visas, which is almost half of all similar visas in the EU. According to the report, this has damaged Poland's international reputation.

– Poland was perceived as the most open and liberal country in the Schengen area, which had a negative impact on our reputation, Sowa notes.