In its 24 November afternoon bulletin, Poland’s Border Guard (SG) confirmed 45 attempted illegal crossings from Belarus between 21 and 23 November, underscoring continued pressure on the country’s eastern frontier. The buffer zone—introduced in 2024 and now covering 78 kilometres—remains in force, keeping unauthorised persons at least 200 metres (and up to 4 kilometres in ecologically sensitive areas) away from the border fence.
The same report details the results of temporary controls re-imposed in July on the otherwise passport-free borders with Germany and Lithuania. Between 21 and 23 November officers screened more than 28,700 travellers and 14,200 vehicles, refusing entry to seven people and detaining one facilitator on the Lithuanian axis, while Germany-facing teams checked 17,500 passengers and nearly 8,400 vehicles, refusing entry to one person. Warsaw has now extended these Schengen-internal controls by another six months—until 4 April 2026—citing "instrumentalised migration" and people-smuggling networks.
![Border Guard Reports 45 Illegal Crossing Attempts as Temporary Checks with Germany and Lithuania Extended]()
For corporate mobility planners the message is clear: even EU nationals may face spot ID checks when driving or taking rail services into Poland. Employers whose staff commute daily across the Oder or the Suwałki Gap should build extra buffer time into rosters; lorry operators must factor potential delays into just-in-time delivery schedules. HR teams should remind non-EU assignees that they must carry both passports and residence cards when travelling internally within Schengen until further notice.
Politically, the figures add weight to Warsaw’s call for an EU-wide strategy that combines external-border technology—such as the newly launched EES—with flexible internal measures that can be dialled up during security alerts. Business chambers support the risk-based approach but warn that prolonged spot checks could erode Poland’s status as a regional logistics hub if not lifted once hybrid-migration pressure subsides.
The same report details the results of temporary controls re-imposed in July on the otherwise passport-free borders with Germany and Lithuania. Between 21 and 23 November officers screened more than 28,700 travellers and 14,200 vehicles, refusing entry to seven people and detaining one facilitator on the Lithuanian axis, while Germany-facing teams checked 17,500 passengers and nearly 8,400 vehicles, refusing entry to one person. Warsaw has now extended these Schengen-internal controls by another six months—until 4 April 2026—citing "instrumentalised migration" and people-smuggling networks.
For corporate mobility planners the message is clear: even EU nationals may face spot ID checks when driving or taking rail services into Poland. Employers whose staff commute daily across the Oder or the Suwałki Gap should build extra buffer time into rosters; lorry operators must factor potential delays into just-in-time delivery schedules. HR teams should remind non-EU assignees that they must carry both passports and residence cards when travelling internally within Schengen until further notice.
Politically, the figures add weight to Warsaw’s call for an EU-wide strategy that combines external-border technology—such as the newly launched EES—with flexible internal measures that can be dialled up during security alerts. Business chambers support the risk-based approach but warn that prolonged spot checks could erode Poland’s status as a regional logistics hub if not lifted once hybrid-migration pressure subsides.
