Poland says it cannot accept migrants under EU quotas, following attacks in Paris

Konrad Szymanski, Poland’s incoming European affairs minister, said his government did not agree with Poland’s commitment to accept its share of an EU-wide relocation of migrants

Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn

Saturday 14 November 2015 15:08

A pro-migrant demonstration in Warsaw in September 2015

(Getty)

Poland has signalled it will retreat on an EU-wide quota commitment to relocate migrants across the continent, following Friday night’s attacks in Paris, which killed at least 127 people.

Konrad Szymanski, Poland’s incoming European affairs minister, said his government did not agree with Poland’s commitment to accept its share of an EU-wide relocation of migrants. In a commentary published on the right-leaning news portal wPolityce.pl, Mr Szymanski added: “In the face of the tragic acts in Paris, we do not see the political possibilities to implement [this].”

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

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The world mourns Paris attacks

Members of the public gather to lay flowers and light candles at La Belle Equipe restaraunt on Rue de Charonne in Paris

Getty

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

People lay a memorial to honour victims of the Paris terror attacks at Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

Soccer fans display the colors of the French flag in response to the deadly terrorist attack in Paris, France before the soccer match between the New York Cosmos' and the Ottawa Fury for the North American Soccer League championship at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, USA

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

Pakistani Civil society activists shout slogans during a protest against Isis militants near the French consulate for the victims of the 13 November Paris attacks in Karachi, Pakistan

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

People gather and view messages written on the ground at Place de la Republique in Paris

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

French flags and a note reading "We will not let you spoil our children's lives" at the site of the attack at the Cafe Belle Equipe on rue de Charonne in the 11th district, in Paris

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

A rose is placed beside a bullet hole at La Belle Equipe restaraunt on Rue de Charonne following the terrorist attack in Paris. As France observes three days of national mourning members of the public continue to pay tribute to the victims of deadly attacks

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

Bono and band members of U2 pay their respects and place flowers on the pavement near the scene of yesterday's Bataclan Theatre terrorist attack in Paris

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

A man kneels as he pays tribute to victims at Place de la Republique near the deadly attack sites in Paris

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

Tributes to the victims at the Place de la Republique square in Paris

AFP

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

An electronic billboard on a canal show solidarity with Paris in Milan

EPA

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

People lay down flowers and light candles to tribute victims of Friday's attacks in Paris as the Brandenburg gate is illuminated in blue, white and red in the colors of the French flag, in Berlin

Reuters

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

A man leaves flowers as a tribute following the deadly attacks in Paris, outside the French consulate in Istanbul

Reuters

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

People take pictures of flowers placed in bullet holes in the window of a Japanese restaurant next to the cafe 'La Belle Equipe'

AFP

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

People gather at a makeshift memorial next to the Bataclan theatre in Paris on November 14, 2015,

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

A woman carrying flowers cries in front of the Carillon cafe and the Petit Cambodge restaurant in Paris

AP

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

People gather in front of flowers that were laid outside the French embassy in Rome

AP

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

People react near the cafe 'La Belle Equipe' at the Rue de Charonne

AFP

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

A young girl places a candle in front of the Carillon cafe in Paris

AP

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

Flowers placed outside the cafe 'La Belle Equipe' at the Rue de Charonne in Paris, the scene for one of the attacks

AFP

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

A woman is comforted by others outside the Carillon cafe and the Petit Cambodge restaurant in Paris

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

The Brandenbourg Gate featuring French national colors is pictured in Berlin, on November 14, 2015 a day after deadly attacks in Paris

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

Flowers are laid in front of the French embassy in Rome

EPA

The world mourns Paris attacks - in pictures

The world mourns Paris attacks

A candle is lit next to flowers outside the French Embassy in Berlin

AFP

In a separate interview for RMF FM radio, Mr Szymanski added: "The [EU Council] decision is valid for all EU countries, but its implementation is very hard to imagine today…We have to wait for the EU Court of Justice, for Brussels’s reaction."

In September Poland’s outgoing centre-right government backed a European plan to share out 120,000 refugees across the 28-nation bloc. Under the plan, the Poland was to take in 4,500 refugees.

Mr Szymanski’s, will take up his position on Monday as part of a government formed by October’s election winner, the conservative and eurosceptic Law and Justice (PiS) party. The migrant crisis in Europe was a key issue in the Polish election campaign with PiS strongly critical of the government’s decision to accept refugees.

Additional reporting by Reuters

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