Von der Leyen responds to Poland's demands. It's about borders and visas for Russians

The EC wants to prepare a new European framework for crisis response to organized migration pressure on the EU's external borders, as well as unify the rules for assessing visa applications of Russian citizens and introduce a ban on issuing visas to former and current members of the Russian army.

The head of the European Commission announces a new crisis response mechanism, i.e. regulations that will allow EU countries to respond more effectively to crisis situations at the borders, including migratory pressure used to destabilize the Union. Warsaw has been pointing out for a long time that the situation at individual EU external borders is different. On the border with Belarus, Poland is facing long-term pressure, while in Ceuta, Spain, the problem was the sudden influx of large numbers of migrants in a short period of time.

Let us recall that at the beginning of September, RMF FM was the first to report that Poland wanted to change the EU's interpretation of the provisions on international protection.

It is about depriving the right to international protection of people who illegally cross the border in organized groups, using violence or destroying border security, said Maciej Duszczyk, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration.

Now von der Leyen writes: "The new framework will provide Member States with additional flexibility in border management and standard asylum and return procedures when immediate action is required and existing rules do not allow the urgent situation to be managed."

As a Polish diplomat told an RMF FM journalist, "for the first time there is such a clear reference to the need for flexibility in border management." Warsaw wants the new solutions to take into account various types of migratory pressure and not to impose one response model on all countries.

"No" to Russian soldiers?

Poland is also seeking visa restrictions for Russians and a ban on travel to the EU for Russian fighters who fought in Ukraine. In his letter, Von der Leyen announces more uniform rules for assessing visa applications of Russian citizens. He also announces a ban on issuing visas to former and current members of the Russian army.

The documents prepared for the summit show that there is preliminary consent of the EU countries on this matter.

After the summit, the European Commission is to work on specific solutions - both regarding responding to migration crises and the rules for issuing visas to Russian citizens.