Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz has known as on Poland to make clear allegations of a visas-for-bribes scandal, airing considerations that it could possibly be including to his personal nation’s migration struggles.
Only one month earlier than a key normal election in Poland, the federal government is grappling with allegations that operatives in consulates might have handed out 1000’s of Polish non permanent work visas, and EU entry, in return for bribes.
“I don’t need folks from Poland to easily be waved by, after which have a dialogue about our asylum coverage afterwards,” Scholz mentioned Saturday at a rally of his Social Democratic Celebration.
He known as for discussions with Warsaw. “Additional measures might then must be taken on the borders, for instance at this one,” Tagesspiegel quoted the chancellor as saying.
Brussels has additionally urged readability on the matter. In a letter that EU Residence Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson despatched to Poland’s Overseas Affairs Minister Zbigniew Rau, the bloc warned that Poland could possibly be violating EU legislation, and gave the federal government till October 3 to reply to the allegations, and clarify the way it intends to deal with the problem.
A spokesperson for the Polish authorities mentioned Warsaw had determined to “perform a unprecedented inspection and audit on the Ministry of Overseas Affairs Division of Consular Affairs in addition to all Polish consular institutions” and that the ministry had determined to “terminate contracts with all outsourcing corporations” that deal with visa purposes.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has accused opposition chief Donald Tusk of exaggerating the numbers, saying that the federal government has recognized “irregularities involving a number of hundred visas — I repeat, a number of hundred visas.”