Poland to resettle 1,000 African migrants?

The European Commission announced last week that it plans to launch a program of mandatory redistribution of asylum seekers in the European Union member countries. Under the plan Poland would resettle 5 percent of those trying to cross Mediterranean Sea (approximately 1,000 migrants).

The idea is stirring controversy in Europe as France and UK joined hands in opposing the plan to impose quotas on member states for accepting migrants.

Poland is also reluctant to agree on mandatory migrant quotas. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Rafał Trzaskowski said that "there will be no consent for the time being, the issue will be raised on the EU summit. The problem needs to be approached rationally, not in the way the EC is proposing."

Meanwhile, President of the European Council Donald Tusk told Polish daily Polska the Times that Poland should display solidarity with Mediterranean: "When we define the limits and criteria for granting asylum and determine the number of refugees, then every country should show solidarity and resettle them. If we expect solidarity over the Eastern matter, we should also display solidarity with the South."