New Scandal Exposed: Poland Issued Schengen Visas to Russians Despite Sanctions
Key Points
1. A new visa scandal has surfaced in Poland, revealing unlawful issuance of visas to Russians.
2. A report from Poland’s Supreme Audit Office (NIK) disclosed that the previous PiS government granted visas to Russians despite restrictions due to the Ukraine war.
3. Poland’s Prime Minister responded by saying that the report confirms the worst suspicions about visa irregularities.
A recent report from Poland’s Supreme Audit Office (NIK) has uncovered another scandal within the country's visa system.
The report revealed that the former PiS government unlawfully granted a significant number of Schengen visas to Russian citizens through the Poland Business Harbor program and other channels, despite sanctions imposed after March 1, 2022, due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
By the end of 2023, 1,838 Polish Schengen visas had been issued to Russian nationals under the program, sparking concerns about potential irregularities and national security risks.
Additionally, the NIK report disclosed that Russians were issued visas through other methods, not solely through the Business Harbor program. According to Gazeta Wyborcza, some of these visas were processed through the Visa Decision Center, which aimed to expedite and simplify the issuance process.
The report also revealed that visas were granted to Russian nationals even after Poland's Ministry of Family and Social Policy prohibited the issuance of work visas to Russians following the imposition of sanctions. Despite the ban, 55 work visas were still issued to Russians by October 2023.
Polish PM and Intelligence Agency Respond
Poland's Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, swiftly reacted to the findings, stating that the report confirms the worst fears regarding the visa system under the previous government.
In an official post on X (formerly Twitter), Tusk criticized the PiS government, accusing them of allowing a large influx of foreigners into the country in exchange for bribes, while Polish soldiers were defending the nation.
"While Polish soldiers and border guards risked their lives protecting us from illegal migration orchestrated by Putin and Lukashenko, the PiS government allowed 366,000 people from Asia and Africa to enter the country, also for bribes. The NIK report confirmed our worst suspicions."
— Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland
Poland’s Intelligence Agency also weighed in, warning that the scandal could have serious repercussions for the country's visa policies. They pointed out that the irregularities included insufficient vetting of visa documentation, especially for student visas, and incomplete applications.
Authorities have called for thorough investigations into the scandal and urgent corrective measures.
This is not the first time Poland has faced such a scandal. In 2023, the country was accused of unlawfully granting work visas to foreign nationals in exchange for payments.