Poland’s Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, firmly stated the country’s rejection of forced migrant relocation as he departed for an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday. Morawiecki pledged that the Law and Justice (PiS) government would not consent to a situation where Poland is compelled to admit illegal migrants, emphasizing the importance of upholding its rights and sovereignty.
Representing the interests of millions of Polish citizens, Morawiecki addressed reporters, affirming their intention to veto any attempts to enforce migrant relocation. He emphasized that a Europe with secure borders should not resort to forced relocations, reiterating his position against such measures.
The Polish prime minister criticized the European Union for its alleged attempts to introduce forced migrant relocation clandestinely, bypassing existing treaties and resorting to financial penalties as a threat. Morawiecki asserted that the PiS government would neither endorse such experiments nor support the forced relocation of irregular migrants.
Expressing his opposition to the EU-proposed migration pact, Morawiecki argued that it was not a genuine agreement but rather a demand for member states to relinquish their autonomy. He firmly declared that Poland would never approve of such a pact, asserting that every country has the right to determine its own immigration policies.
“The green light for uncontrolled migration has nothing to do with protecting Human Rights. On the contrary – it serves to violate human rights, increases suffering, contributes to the growth of crime in Europe and indirectly supports smuggling groups. We propose a referendum on this matter in Poland. Let’s give people a voice and encourage other European countries to do the same. Will veto the forced relocation mechanism. A Europe of secure borders is also a Europe without forced relocation,”
Prime Minister Morawiecki stated.
EU’s Controversial Migrant Relocation Scheme: Quotas and Penalties for Member States
The European Commission’s proposal for a migrant relocation scheme involves EU members accepting an initial quota of 30,000 migrants from countries experiencing significant migration pressures, such as Greece and Italy. Member states declining to participate would face a penalty of approximately EUR 22,000 per non-admitted migrant.
Despite Poland and Hungary opposing the scheme within the EU, their dissent was overruled, leaving them at odds with the majority decision.