Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki reiterated his country’s unwavering opposition to the European Union’s migration pact ahead of a European Council meeting in Brussels. In a statement on Thursday, Morawiecki emphasized that Poland would uphold its “strong veto” against the proposed pact.
The European Council meeting, a two-day summit, is addressing various pressing issues, including the situation in the Middle East, support for Ukraine, and the long-term budget of the European Union. However, the contentious topic of the EU migration pact remains at the forefront of discussions.
Morawiecki expressed his concerns about the migration pact, stating, “The European Commission still wants to implement the migration pact.” This pact aims to redistribute asylum seekers who arrive in the European Union from locations outside its official borders among member states. The contentious elements, according to the Polish Prime Minister, include the acceptance of illegal immigrants through forced relocation and financial penalties for non-compliance.
Morawiecki stressed that Poland had firmly rejected the pact from the beginning, noting, “Not only did the incumbent Law and Justice government express its disagreement in 2018 with a strong veto, but it also maintained this position at the previous meeting.” He confirmed that Poland would continue to uphold its strong opposition at the current meeting.
Poland’s Law and Justice (PiS) government has consistently voiced its opposition to the EU’s migrant relocation plans. These plans could potentially require member countries to accept a specific quota of asylum seekers or pay approximately EUR 22,000 for each migrant they decline to admit.