Poland not alone in refusing to relocate migrants: PM

Szydło spoke to Belgian daily Le Soir after the European Commission last week launched procedures against Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic over “non-compliance with their obligations under the 2015 Council Decisions on relocation” of migrants.

In September 2015, EU leaders agreed that each country would accept a number of migrants over two years to alleviate the pressure on Greece and Italy, which have seen the arrival of tens of thousands of people from the Middle East.

EU leaders agreed to relocate a total of about 160,000 migrants of more than two million people who arrived in Europe since 2015, but as Szydło told Le Soir, European Union countries have accepted only 20,000 people so far.

She added that relocating so few people was not a solution to the problem and that Poland was supporting those in need by increasing humanitarian aid to the victims of the war in Syria and by working with aid organisations to rebuild hospitals.

Szydło said helping in this way was not only cheaper but more effective, whereas EU migration policy was not putting a stop to additional waves of migrants to Europe.

The Polish prime minister also noted that migrants were not interested in staying in Poland, Hungary or the Czech Republic but wanted to head for richer countries. (vb/pk)

Source: IAR