We invite you to read Kacper Nosarzewski’s opinion on Poland’s migration policy.

Expectations are modest: “peace, joy, and pancakes,” as our western neighbors might say. I’ve read the report “Poland’s Migration Policy in the Opinions of Institutional Actors” prepared by the Migration Research Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences, which highlights a number of key recommendations regarding migration and integration policy. I then attempted to compare it with the migration policy framework that Prime Minister Donald Tusk presented this past weekend.

The expectations of our government and local institutions are as follows:

• Reform of the repatriation program
• Support for integration through a comprehensive policy that addresses various groups of migrants, not just refugees with legal status
• Institutional changes, including the creation of a new central government body responsible for migration matters
• Financial support for local governments dealing with migration challenges
• Emphasis on human rights, especially non-refoulement and the protection of rights in the asylum process.

These are the demands of our institutions. The government’s policy, however, may differ, as it is intended to be forward-thinking, surpassing bureaucratic awareness and aiming for the future—not just shortening queues. To what extent it will differ, we can somewhat infer from PM Tusk’s speech: he emphasized regaining control over migration and curbing illegal border crossings, with the potential suspension of asylum rights. Other issues were not discussed at this point.

We now await the government’s official document and ponder: In a democratic state, are we allowed to expect a vision that exceeds our expectations?