During a press conference held by the Marshal and the Minister-President at the Regional Office of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship in Dresden, an approximate date for ending border controls was presented.
– Today, we have been informed that controls at the Polish-German border have been extended until June 15 – Cezary Przybylski said at the conference. – As the Polish side, we understand the reasons for this decision, but from the beginning we have also discussed with the Minister-President how to minimize its effects. Hence the idea of making two lanes available to reduce queues at the border – the Marshal added.
The Minister-President of Saxony assured that the controls would disappear as soon as illegal migration was ruled out.
- I fully understand that the Polish side is not satisfied with the border controls taking place at our common border – Michael Kretschmer said. – They are not directed at Poles or Germans. They are intended to limit illegal migration from outside the European Union. Once the EU’s external borders are properly secured, these controls will no longer be needed. We will do everything in our power to streamline this process organizationally – the Minister-President added.
Kretschmer emphasized the role of the Marshal of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship in reducing the inconvenience caused by border controls.
– I fully understand that the Polish side is not satisfied with the border controls taking place at our common border – Michael Kretschmer said. – They are not directed at Poles or Germans. They are intended to limit illegal migration from outside the European Union. Once the EU’s external borders are properly secured, these controls will no longer be needed. We will do everything in our power to streamline this process organizationally – Minister-President Kretschmer added.
Another matter discussed at the meeting was the signing of a trilateral cooperation agreement between Saxony, Lower Silesia and the Liberec Region.
– Until now, we have spoken of a tripoint. Now we are speaking of a tri-region. We are interested not in a point but in an area where residents face similar problems. We will sign the agreement on March 21 this year – Przybylski explained. – As Lower Silesia, we are revitalizing many railway lines that also increase mobility in border regions. We also discussed Lower Silesia joining the network of semiconductor regions. Minister-President Michael Kretschmer invited us to join this network, and we accepted the invitation with great approval. Investments will be carried out by Intel – the Marshal informed.
Cooperation between Saxony and Lower Silesia flourished after Poland joined the European Union.
The Free State of Saxony borders the Lower Silesian Voivodeship along the southwestern section of Poland’s border with the Federal Republic of Germany. The regions can boast 25 years of cooperation, while their capitals, Dresden and Wrocław, have been linked by a town-twinning agreement for more than 65 years.
Since 2012, the Liaison Office of the Free State of Saxony has operated in Wrocław, actively cooperating with the local government of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. In July 2020, a new office headquarters was opened in Dresden at the Max Born Forum.
– The Saxony office in Wrocław has been operating for 12 years, while ours in Dresden has been operating for three – Marshal Przybylski said. – The offices play an extremely important role: they promote Saxony and Lower Silesia, but in addition to promotion, they are also places where information about the economy and investment in both regions can be obtained, and they provide assistance to German and Polish citizens. Cooperation between Lower Silesia and Saxony is multidimensional. We have benefits in the social, economic and intellectual spheres. Today’s meeting preceding the conference is an example of this; we discussed many important issues. Although we are part of the great European family, borders still exist, and borderland problems are similar for many regions. That is why we discussed decarbonization and transport. The social and interpersonal spheres are also important. Poland’s accession to the European Union was a milestone in our relations, and as Lower Silesia we are making full use of grants supporting many regional investments. I wanted to thank the Minister-President on behalf of the people of Lower Silesia for 25 years of cooperation, because alongside easy and pleasant topics, we also address difficult issues, and we care about very good cooperation and good-neighborly relations – the Marshal said.
Both politicians emphasized that the model of success in the case of Saxony and Lower Silesia—the factor that enabled such good cooperation—is the European Union. By operating within its framework, both regions were able to draw closer and achieve economic success.
– The pioneers of cooperation were several enthusiasts and the activities of the Neisse Euroregion – the Minister-President said. – Today, there are several thousand people who live, work, relax and visit friends in the border regions. The European Union made this possible for us. That is why it is so important to go to the polls in the European elections and vote for the Union. I am pleased that we can meet here: on Lower Silesian soil, in Dresden, at the regional office. The regional office shows what Lower Silesia is like: modern and well-presented, but also efficient and dynamically developing. This is also connected with the term of office of Marshal Cezary Przybylski. We will continue to deepen our cooperation, because Lower Silesia and the Free State of Saxony have a history of good cooperation – Michael Kretschmer declared.