Britain eyes security treaty with European nation to slash illegal migration | UK | News
Britain is close to signing a new security agreement with Poland to tackle the threat from Russia and illegal immigration. Home Affairs Minister Yvette Cooper and National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell discussed the agreement with Polish foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski during their visit to London last week. Mr Sikorski said the deal was close to completion, the latest in a series of agreements with Britain’s European allies.
A similar agreement was signed with Germany in July, and negotiations with France continue. This latest security agreement is expected to expand joint measures with Poland to mitigate Russian interference and curb illegal immigration and human trafficking. Mr Sikorski claimed the best way to combat the rise of right-wing populist movements was to clamp down on irregular immigration during an event organized by campaign group United Nuclear Against Iran in Westminster.
“I believe that we have been successful in migration. We have built a large and beautiful fence on our border with Belarus that is 98 percent effective.
“I increased the price of Polish visas. We stopped fake students doing fake studies just to get work permits. And we reduced net migration from culturally distant countries.
“And in turn, I am pleased to say that for the first time in 300 years, last year more Poles returned to Poland than left Poland. So Poles are voting with their feet to return to our country.”
It comes as senior officials warn that Russian spies have links to people-smuggling gangs smuggling refugees into Europe.
Bulgarian Interior Minister Daniel Mitov said his government had evidence of a direct link between Russia’s foreign intelligence agency and criminal gangs helping illegal immigrants enter Europe.
He told The Times: “The flow of illegal immigration is a tool of hostile regimes to destabilize the European Union and the United Kingdom.
“They aim to destabilize welfare systems” [in European countries]. Plus, of course…they create security problems for us by kidnapping radicalized individuals.
“Now is the time to build a home and protect our inner freedoms… Every house needs walls. These walls must be strong and have doors through which every guest can enter.”
