Dawid Sarbak posted a photograph of himself on social media, protesting with party colleagues in Zgorzelec. During the protests, local PiS politicians stressed that, in their view, the EU’s current policy threatens Poland’s security and demanded the introduction of permanent controls on the border with Germany—following the example of those introduced by the German government in 2023.

When one internet user wrote under Sarbak’s post that they did not understand what the protest was meant to achieve, since Poland had opposed the migration pact in the European Parliament, the councillor from Bolesławiec replied:

(...) perhaps it would be worthwhile to learn the facts conveyed by the councillors themselves from Zgorzelec. Namely, migrants are being transported to our side, blocking shops and grabbing door handles at homes at night...(...)”

Well, yes, because the only source of reliable information is apparently the “facts” conveyed by the “councillors themselves from Zgorzelec”. After all, it is a renowned research institution with years of experience in analysing migration and national security. And migrants grabbing door handles at night? It sounds like a synopsis of a new B-movie thriller, only with an even worse script.

And the European Commission and the “mandatory” migration pact? As usual, someone read the headline, skipped the footnotes, and still knows better. The geopolitics experts from Facebook comments are in top form again!

What is the EU Migration Pact?

The EU Migration Pact is a set of new regulations intended to organise how EU countries deal with migration and asylum. Instead of the compulsory relocation of refugees, it introduces so-called “mandatory solidarity”—member states must help in some way, but can choose the form: accept migrants, pay for their maintenance in another country (around €20,000 per person), or provide logistical support. The aim is to relieve pressure on border countries such as Italy and Greece and share responsibility in a fairer and more predictable manner.

The European Commission is responding cautiously to Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s declaration that Poland will not accept migrants returned from other EU countries. Although Poland should do so under the so-called Dublin Regulation, the EC acknowledges that our country is in a special situation—it is dealing with migration at its eastern border, exploited by Russia and Belarus as a tool of pressure. Prime Minister Tusk argues that Poland is already shouldering enormous burdens connected with the war in Ukraine and cannot accept additional migrants.