German business beats the alarm. “Isolation does not solve problems”

German media broadly comment on Poland’s decision to restore control on the border with Germany. There are more and more voices that this is a reaction to the government’s actions in Berlin, which can have a domino effect. Both politicians and, above all, representatives of German business send clear signals of concern.

German business warns against the effects of controls on the borders

Representatives of business organizations also do not hide fear – writes “Deutsche Welle” (“DW”).

Helena Melnikov, managing director of the German Chamber of Industrial and Commerce (DiHK), cited by “DW), said in an interview with the newspaper” Handelsblatt “that the Chamber receives disturbing information from the business environment, and in particular from local industrial and commercial chambers.

As the head of Dihk noted, “if people who commute to work across the Polish-German border no longer reach without problems and on time, there is an increased risk that they permanently change the direction of these travels, which will have consequences in the form of a deficiency of qualified workforce in regions such as Brandenburg,” she warned.

In her opinion, companies from the retail, care and health care sector, the gastronomy industry located near the border, as well as large industrial plants, may feel this in a special way. “Companies need reliability and freedom of movement, not new barriers,” emphasized Helena Melnikov.

As “DW” writes, the head of Dihk suggested developing pragmatic solutions by agreement between Poland and Germany, such as passes for people commuting or separate road lanes for the delivery movement. “In this way you can combine security and economic rationality,” she emphasized.

German organizations: “insulation does not solve problems”

Dirk Jandura is also critical of the decision to restore border controls. As “DW” writes, Jandura warns against the negative consequences of this approach, emphasizing: “insulation does not solve problems, but creates new: for supply chains, employees and economic cohesion in Europe.”

The German police want clear rules

The German Trade Union of the Police (GDP) appealed for strict coordination between Poland and Germany in the field of border controls and to determine the clear, practical and enforceable principles of conduct.

The head of the GDP Association in the Federal Police Andreas Roskopf in an interview with the newspaper “Rheinische Post” emphasized: “We need clear commitments as to when we can and we must turn back. And it must also be agreed at inter -state level in such a way that it is a feasible procedure.”

DW writes that, according to Roskopf, it is also necessary to determine what to do with people returned by Poland, so that German officers can direct them to the relevant reception centers if necessary.