Poland to reject EU refugee quotas in wake of Paris attacks

Poland is to backtrack from its previous pledges to burden a share of refugee influx in Europe, saying the recent terror attacks in the French capital have made the quotas designated by the European Union almost void.

Konrad Szymanski, Poland’s incoming European affairs minister, said on Saturday that the country would no longer deem it necessary to respect the EU quotas on relocation of refugees after the deadly shootings and explosions which killed over 120 in Paris on Friday.

“The European Council's decisions, which we criticized, on the relocation of refugees and immigrants to all EU countries are part of European law,” Szymanski wrote in a piece of commentary, stating, however, “after the tragic events of Paris we do not see the political possibility of respecting them.”

The eurosceptic politician is to take the European affairs portfolio in the new polish government, which is going to be led by conservative Prime Minister-designate Beata Szydlo.

Szymanski’s Law and Justice (PiS) party managed to win general elections on October 25 on promises that included refusing entry of refugees into Poland.

According to the EU’s proposed plan, which has gained the approval of the interior ministers of the 28-nation bloc, about 160,000 refugees registered in the frontline countries of Greece and Italy should be resettled by the member states. Many eastern members, however, have strongly opposed the quotas, saying they could not afford taking the shares in the face of huge internal oppositions and low finances.

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