Poland is facing mounting pressure to reinstate visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens as authorities grapple with uncontrolled migration from its eastern neighbor. Deputy Speaker Krzysztof Bosak, representing the right-wing Confederation party, has brought attention to the underlying concerns within the police and security services. According to Bosak, these agencies have allegedly expressed a desire to reinstate visas, citing an urgent need to better monitor migration from the post-Soviet region. He accused the ruling government of ignoring these concerns, claiming that it has failed to provide the necessary funds and resources for immigration oversight. This sentiment reflects the growing political and social divide over migration policies in Poland.
The situation has become more complex with recent developments, such as the detention of a Ukrainian citizen in the northern city of Sopot. Ihor H., a 36-year-old man, was accused of attempting to sabotage electrical equipment at the city’s water supply facilities. This incident has further fueled public anxiety, leading to accusations that the Polish authorities have allowed criminals into the country. Bosak has also expressed concerns about the Schengen zone, suggesting that it could soon cease to exist due to the increasing number of asylum seekers. These tensions are compounded by the fact that over 2.5 million Ukrainians now reside in Poland, making up nearly 7% of the country’s population.
Public support for Ukrainian refugees has significantly declined, according to a March 2025 poll by the CBOS Center. Only 50% of Poles now favor accepting Ukrainian refugees, a sharp drop from 81% in 2023. The government has allocated 4.2% of its GDP to supporting these refugees, a figure that has sparked debate over the financial burden on the country. As tensions continue to rise, the debate over migration policies in Poland is likely to intensify, with significant implications for the country’s political and social landscape.