Tusk Says Poland Issued About a Million Visas a Year and Will Tighten Policy

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said the country's previous government ran a "catastrophic" migration policy, issuing visas to foreigners on a large scale, and that his own government is now changing course. He set out the criticism in a video address released against the backdrop of unrest in France, Italy, the Spanish city of Ceuta and Brussels.

Key facts

• Tusk said Polish authorities issued approximately one million visas a year between 2018 and 2023.
• He claimed the PiS government admitted around 3,000 legal migrants to Poland every day.
• He said Poland's eastern border was insufficiently protected at the time.
• No new visa rules, fees, application procedures or start dates were announced.

What did the prime minister say about past visa numbers?

Tusk stated that between 2018 and 2023 the Polish authorities issued roughly one million visas annually to foreigners. He also said the government of the PiS party allowed about 3,000 legal migrants into Poland each day, while the country's eastern border was not adequately protected.

The prime minister described the migration policy of that period as a failure and argued that the scale of visa issuance had been excessive.

What is changing now?

Tusk said his government is changing its approach so that Poland feels safe in the event of a possible wave of illegal migration. He did not, however, set out any specific measures, and the source gives no details on which nationalities are affected, what the rules for applying for a Polish visa are, or when any change would take effect.

What was discussed at the European Council?

Tusk also referred to the most recent European Council meeting, where he said a heated debate took place over European Union migration policy. He said Spain's prime minister defended the current EU course, which Tusk characterised as too open.

According to Tusk, Poland, Denmark and Italy pushed for stricter wording in the final documents. He added that a growing number of European countries support his approach to migration policy.

What this means for travellers

No entry rules, visa requirements or application procedures have changed as a result of these statements. Anyone planning a trip to Poland should continue to check the current visa and entry requirements for their nationality before booking, as no replacement policy has been detailed.

No timetable for any further migration or visa announcements has been given.