Poland's Nato allies concerned about Polish visa scandal says Tusk

Donald Tusk, leader of Poland's main opposition party, the centrist Civic Platform (PO), has said that Poland's Nato allies, including the US, are concerned that migrants with Polish visas have appeared even at the US-Mexico border.

Tusk said on Monday in Otwock, a city near Warsaw, that only in July and August, 25,000 migrants had passed through Poland into western parts of Europe and that "the entire world was alarmed when it saw stalls with Polish visas in several African capitals."

The incumbent Polish government is currently battling a slew of allegations that thousands of visas were issued by Polish consulates in return for bribes.

"I have direct knowledge that our Nato allies, including the Americans, have given signals and are very concerned with the fact that migrants with Polish visas have appeared even on the Mexican-American border," Tusk said.

"Today, they can be found all around the world. 

"And no one knows, and our allies have already pointed this out, that in their estimation, at least several hundred people suspected of terrorism or attempted terrorist attacks have just entered Europe with Polish visas," he said. "This is the truth about (the ruling party Law and Justice – PAP) PiS."

The allegations, first made in the press, have been seized upon by the opposition, which has used them to accuse a government that has made being tough on immigration a core policy of having double standards. 

The government has insisted that the affair has been overblown by the opposition parties before the October 15 general elections and that the real scale of the problem was several hundred fraudulently-issued visas. The government also says Polish security services have been investigating the case for months and the prosecutors have already made the first arrests. 

So far, the scandal has cost deputy Foreign Minister Piotr Wawrzyk his job. Wawrzyk was responsible for consular affairs at the ministry.