Poland opposes EU's plan to fine states that refuse to accept irregular migrants

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – Poland reiterated on Wednesday that it will explicitly oppose any EU plan to distribute irregular migrants among member states.

Commenting on the news that the Swedish Presidency of the EU Council adopted the EU Commission's plan, which envisaged fining member states for refusing to accept the redistribution of migrants, Poland’s Minister for EU Affairs Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek told state-run news agency PAP that there would be no Polish consent for such a plan.

Poland already hosts over two million Ukrainian refugees, he said, adding that "we know how to manage a refugee crisis." We also know that the EU's mandatory relocation system, which has been tried in recent years but proved ineffective."

“It is time to focus on the major challenges and effective tools, not the pseudo prescriptions,” he remarked.

According to PAP, discussions on the plan of sending irregular immigrants are still underway, with Germany also failing to present a clear position.