New EU presidency warning over internal borders

The Polish prime minister has hit out at those who want to reintroduce internal borders in the European Union.

A week after his country took over the rotating presidency of the bloc, Donald Tusk said now was not the time for barriers but for more integration and unity.

In a speech to the European Parliament Tusk said: “This debate about Schengen is a crucial illustration of the dilemma that Europe currently faces.”

He added: “I’d like to say that from our point of view, defending the fundamental rights of Europeans, such as free movement across borders, is our paramount duty.”

Denmark has recently reintroduced border checks and France and Italy have pushed for the right to reintroduce them in certain circumstances.

Tusk added that undoing European construction, and turning to nationalism as an answer to a crisis, would be what he called a very big mistake.

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