This practice is in line with a 2013 regulation by the European Parliament, the so-called Dublin III, Poland’s tvp.info website reported on Tuesday, citing a report by the Rzeczpospolita newspaper.
Under Dublin III, when it is proven that a person entered an EU member state illegally from a third country, the EU member is responsible for processing the person’s application for international protection, Rzeczpospolita reported on its rp.pl website.
A migrant is also sent back if they submitted an application in one EU country and then left for another without waiting for a decision, tvp.info said.
And this is the case for many people who cross illegally into Poland and apply for asylum, claiming they had to flee their countries, according to tvp.info.
At the first opportunity, they then depart Poland for wealthier countries, such as Germany or France, tvp.info reported.
When Poland suffered a huge influx of illegal migrants, it asked Western countries to suspend the procedure of sending them back to Poland, according to tvp.info.
However, now that the situation has somewhat stabilised, the EU’s western members are starting to return “unwanted” foreigners to Poland, tvp.info reported.
‘A huge burden' for Poland
The website said the process represented “a huge burden" for Poland, as procedures are lengthy and throughout their duration, “migrants must be provided with accommodation, food, pocket money and health insurance,” sometimes "for as many as six months.”
Moreover, Poland has come under pressure from Brussels and domestic leftwing activists who demand that the country admit more migrants, according to tvp.info.
The website cited the case of an Afghan national “who had applied for asylum after crossing illegally into Poland, but then fled to Germany before his application was processed.”
The man was detained in Germany and sent back to Poland, where he “again applied for asylum and again fled the West at the earliest opportunity,” tvp.info reported.
The number of foreigners who may be sent back to Poland under the Dublin III regulation exceeds 10,000, and comprises mainly Iraqi and Afghan nationals, tvp.info said.
(pm/gs)
Source: tvp.info, rp.pl, eur-lex.europa.eu