Poland’s opposition accuses the government of allowing large numbers of migrants, corruption

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Poland’s main opposition leader accused the conservative government on Thursday of hypocrisy for allegedly admitting large numbers of foreign workers despite its anti-migrant rhetoric and a new border wall.

Donald Tusk, a former prime minister and former top European Union official, said the government’s actions were in stark contrast with its official policy declarations.

Tusk, leader of the opposition Civic Coalition, and Polish media allege that the government admitted about 130,000 Muslim migrants last year despite its anti-migrant statements, aimed chiefly at non-Christians. They say the government is working to relax restrictions and allege that corruption and pressure from international work agencies are involved.

Allegations that the government has opened the doors to Middle East migrants are linked to the surprise firing last week of Deputy Foreign Minister Piotr Wawrzyk. The dismissal came as the state Anti-Corruption Office was conducting an inspection of the Foreign Ministry that was focused on the consular and visa department that Wawrzyk headed, according to media reports.

The allegations could seriously hurt the governing populist Law and Justice party ahead of Oct. 15 parliamentary elections. The party is seeking an unprecedented third term and has escalated its usual anti-migrant rhetoric in the campaign.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said the dismissal was the result of “unsatisfactory cooperation” by Wawrzyk within the government.

Government spokesperson Piotr Mueller said this week that Wawrzyk had “made a mistake” and gone beyond the government’s migration policy framework when he prepared new regulations. Media reports said the new rules would have admitted temporary workers from about 20 countries.

The Interior and Administration Ministry on Thursday denied that large numbers of migrants had been allowed to enter, saying “less than 30,000 workers from Muslim countries came last year to Poland.”

The government spent about 1.6 billion zlotys ($380,000) last year on a massive wall along the border with Belarus, intending to block the inflow of Middle East and African migrants. Reports say the inflow was reduced but not fully stopped.

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Follow AP’s coverage of global migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration