The Polish parliament has passed a resolution on the EU’s Pact for Migration and Asylum, which confirms Poland’s opposition to the mechanism of compulsory relocation of illegal migrants within member states.
The resolution states that the mechanism is an attempt to reintroduce the failed attempts at compulsory relocation of migrants attempted by the EU between 2014 and 2015 and that the Polish state will not agree to bear the costs of failed decisions taken by other EU states.
The resolution also states that “European solidarity cannot bear the hallmarks of blackmail” and that decisions of this magnitude should be taken on the basis of unanimity rather than qualified majority voting.
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During the debate in the Polish parliament, the leader of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, Jarosław Kaczyński, said that the relocation of migrants policy is an assault on national sovereignty and is contrary to EU treaties. Kaczyński also recalled that Poland has already received millions of Ukrainian refugees.
The ruling party’s leader also ridiculed the proposed charge of €22,000 per migrant turned down versus the €100 per Ukrainian refugee offered to Poland. This was an “insult to Poland and an outrageous form of discrimination.”
According to Kaczyński, the Polish nation does not want this. He then called for a referendum on the matter and vowed that the ruling party would organize it so that “Poles will have the right to have a say.” The referendum could be held at the same time as the national parliamentary elections this autumn.
