Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki condemned the current ruling coalition for sending representatives to Brussels who voted in favor of the controversial migration pact, which conservative politicians have warned could result in as many as 75 million new migrants to Europe.
Responding to the issue, Morawiecki criticized the current governing coalition, accusing it of betraying Poland by supporting the migration pact.
“The current ruling coalition sent people to Brussels who voted for the migration pact today. Shame on you, you are harming Poland and Poles,” he wrote.
Other Polish politicians also condemned the pact, with Polish MEP Dominik Tarczyński of the Law and Justice (PiS) party highlighting support for the pact from certain Polish left-wing MEPs, including former leftist Prime Ministers Marek Belka, Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz and Leszek Miller, as well as Robert Biedroń and Łukasz Kohut.
The Left, which voted for the pact, is part of Donald Tusk’s coalition government in Poland, and all three former PMs were elected to the European Parliament from the Civic Platform lists, according to Polish news outlet Do Rzeczy. Meanwhile, MEPs from the PiS, Civic Platform (PO), and Polish People’s Party (PSL) opposed the pact.
Current Prime Minister Donald Tusk claimed that despite the European Parliament’s adoption of the pact, Poland would not agree to the relocation mechanism, vowing to protect Poland from such measures.
“I remain firm on this issue, and my discussions and explanations are having an effect; capitals across Europe understand our argument,” Tusk claimed.
The European Parliament passed the pact on Wednesday, with 301 MEPs voting in favor, 272 against and 46 abstaining.
The pact mandates compulsory “solidarity” with European Union countries experiencing “migratory pressure,” offering member states the choice between relocating asylum seekers or paying an enormous fine of up to €22,000 per rejected migrant.
The new law also introduces new criteria for determining which member state is responsible for processing international protection applications, updating the so-called Dublin regulations. However, the Council of the European Union must still approve the pact.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has vowed to block migrants from entering his country due to forced migration relocation quotas, and warned that “secure borders are no more.” He is calling for a change in power in Brussels in order to put an end to mass immigration.
