EU: no immigration quotas will be imposed

At yesterday's summit, EU members agreed to relocate thousands of asylum seekers from Africa and Syria, but rejected implementation of mandatory quotas, thus each state will voluntarily accept the number of immigrants it offers. Poland was among those countries who opposed imposing quotas. "Leaders agreed that 40,000 persons in need will be relocated from Greece and Italy to other states over the next two years," European Council president Donald Tusk told the press. "Interior ministers will complete the scheme by the end of July." "All of the states, with no exception expressed solidarity regarding this matter," Tusk added. In May, the European Commission announced a program of mandatory redistribution of around 40,000 African and 20,000 Syrian asylum seekers in the European Union member countries. Under the plan, Poland was to resettle 2,659 African migrants (app. 6.56 percent of the total number) trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea and 962 Syrian refugees.