Government fails to quell media outcry over future EU travel documents

It is still not clear what documents Poles will need to travel within Europe after the country joins the European Union. Politicians, even after the chapter on border security and provisions has been closed, are still not certain on what conditions Poles will enter other EU countries. It was thought that as with other EU citizens, being in possession of an identity card would simply be enough. However, a few days ago, Zenon Kosiniak-Kamysz, the Deputy Interior Minister made media headlines by saying, "I think that our citizens will need passports, I do not have any information that identity cards will be enough". Interior Minister Krzysztof Janik has a different opinion, he says that the new identity card is enough for individuals to travel within the EU. It was widely understood that in return for tightening its Eastern borders, Polish citizens from day one of EU membership would be able to cross the border with just an identity card. Whatever the true state of affairs is, the government has not done itself any favors by being unable to come out with a unified statement on what the real situation is. (Zycie, p. 1) A.L.