Poland's EU borders lifted as Schengen comes into effect

"The last barriers between the old and new EU countries are crumbling down. Joining the Schengen area is the most tangible sign that we are a full-fledged EU member," said Senate Speaker Bogdan Borusewicz. "It is another one of our dreams come true," added Lech Wałęsa. Prime Minister Donald Tusk will today be joined by his German and Czech counterparts and Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission president, at a special ceremony in Bogatynia, a Polish-Czech and Polish-German border crossing. From now on, the 1,185 km  stretch of Poland's border with Ukraine, Belarus and Russia becomes the external border of the entire EU, placing extra responsibilities on the Polish Border Guard. "For some immigrants from the East, Poland may become a springboard for seeking work in Western Europe," says Deputy Labor Minister Kazimierz Kuberski. The total cost of upgrading border controls and procedures at the Eastern border totaled zł.2 billion, funded in large part by the EU. "All our forces are 100% ready. We had been preparing for this for many years," said Deputy Interior Minister Witold Dródż who oversaw the final entry into the Schengen Zone. (Rzeczpospolita, p. 1; Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 1; Dziennik, p. 1) R.M.