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Poland: Following EU lead on entry

01 September 1995

The Polish government has submitted a new draft law on foreigners entering the country to the Sejm (parliament). The law closely mirrors the policies on immigration agreed at EU-level by the Council of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers. People wanting to enter Poland will have to show that they have $20-$25 for each day of their stay and those found to be illegally employed will be transported to a frontier crossing point or held in special detention centres. Tomasz Kuba Kozlowski, Director of the Bureau for Immigration and Refugees at the Internal Affairs Ministry, said that the new law would reflect the standards in force in the European Union. People deported from Poland will not be allowed to re-enter for at least two years, nor will those sentenced to prison for three years or more, nor those for whom: "justified suspicions exist that they intend to overthrow the Polish system or to undermine national security." The Internal Affairs Minister stressed that the new law would be very strictly applied to all Romanians, and citizens of Asian and African countries. The law, in line with EU policy, will define "safe" countries of origin and "safe" third countries. Someone arriving from such a country would not be allowed to apply for refugee status. People wanting to come to Poland as a result of a personal invitation from a Polish citizen first have to get the invitation approved by the provincial governor, and the Polish citizen would be liable for the costs of the visit, medical care, and even deportation. Warsaw Voice, 20.8.95.