Geneva - Human trafficking in Poland has worsened since the country joined the European Union and Europe's borderless Schengen zone, a UN independent expert said Friday.
"The scale of trafficking in persons is not only serious in Poland but has been somewhat aggravated in the past five years by virtue of Poland joining the European Union and also acceding to the Schengen zone," said Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, special rapporteur on human trafficking.
"These developments unarguably helped to transform Poland from being mainly a source country to clearly becoming a transit and a destination country combined," she said in statement following a mission to Poland this week.
Trafficking for labour and prostitution is already endemic in Poland, said Ezeilo, adding that data from the police indicates that cases of human trafficking are "growing by the day."
Despite the growth, inspectors did not have the "necessary capacity" to deal with the issue.
Ezeilo called on the Polish government to strengthen its laws to deal with trafficking for labour exploitation.
In addition, she said victims should receive compensation by law. - AFP