In response to the European Union’s latest proposal aimed at addressing the migration issue faced by southern member states, the Polish government has expressed its strong opposition to any mechanisms of “forced allocation” of migrants. The European Commission (EC) suggested a plan on Wednesday, suggesting that countries refusing to host relocated migrants should pay a sum of EUR 22,000 per migrant.
Piotr Mueller, the government spokesman for Poland, reiterated the nation’s unwavering stance on the matter, stating, “The position of our government is unchanged here. We believe that there should be no mechanisms of forced allocation, and we’ll strongly oppose the proposal.” Joining Poland in opposition, Croatia, Hungary, and Slovakia have also criticized the proposed rules, as reported by a source from the Polish Press Agency (PAP).
The European Commission’s latest move has reignited the debate on migrant relocation, which initially arose in 2015 during the peak of the migrant crisis in the EU. At that time, Poland and several other countries declined to participate in the relocation efforts, prompting the European Commission to launch infringement procedures against them under EU law.
According to insider sources at PAP, the EC suggests the relocation of approximately 30,000 migrants from the southern regions of Europe to other countries, with the potential for the number to increase to 120,000.
Poland’s Interior Minister, Mariusz Kaminski, firmly stated on Thursday, “We do not and will not agree to the forced relocation of migrants to Poland.”
Anitta Hipper, a spokesperson for the European Commission, communicated to PAP on Friday that the EC had proposed a system of “mandatory solidarity.” Hipper explained that, as per the proposal, member states would be able to determine which solidarity measures to adopt, including relocation, financial assistance, or operational support. She emphasized the need for EU members to demonstrate solidarity with countries most affected by the inflow of migrants.
On Friday, EU ambassadors were scheduled to convene and discuss the European Commission’s proposal, setting the stage for further deliberations on this pressing issue.