Poland’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration announced on Thursday the extension of border checks in Poland until November 22. Poland instituted the border checks in October 4 in response to a large flow of migrants seeking entry to Poland from Slovakia.

Poland’s Deputy Interior Minister Maciej Wasik highlighted the effectiveness of the border checks on Thursday. He noted the border checks’ impact in deterring illegal crossings and urging Slovak authorities to take necessary actions on their end.

Poland initially implemented temporary controls on its border with Slovakia on October 4 on the basis of the Schengen Borders Code. During a press briefing on the border controls, Poland’s Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski emphasized the importance of fortifying external borders and reforming the asylum system within the EU to address ongoing migration challenges. These controls were subsequently extended to November 2.

Austria and the Czech Republic also introduced border checks with Slovakia, alongside Poland, and prolonged them to November 2. The Czech Republic has since also extended their border checks through November 22. The Czech Republic’s Interior Minister Vit Rakusan emphasized the necessity of reinforced protection at the Czech-Slovak border until a robust shield for the EU’s external border is in place.

Responding to the stringent border regulations, Poland’s national human rights institution, the Commissioner for Human Rights, denounced the treatment of migrants. The institution stated that the use of the border checks, providing for the return of foreigners illegally crossing the Polish border without any procedure allowing for the assessment of their situation, leads to a violation of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.