EU ‘regrets’ Austria’s decision to back out of UN migrant pact
Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki yesterday revealed that it is “very likely” the country will back out from the Global Compact for Migration.
Speaking at a news conference in Warsaw with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mr Morawiecki said: "It is very likely that ... we will not be part of the global pact.”
Poland follows the United States, Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic in abandoning the plan.
Mr Morawiecki said Poland was assessing the pact, which is due to be implemented next month, but added its own migration controls are its priority.
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The Polish Prime Minister said: “Our sovereign principles on securing our borders and controlling migration flows are absolutely the priority for us.”
It comes after Poland clashed with the European Union over national quotes for asylum seekers earlier this year.
Ms Merkel, who has faced heavy criticism for her decision to allow one million refugees into Germany in 2015, voiced her support for the UN pact that Germany has worked “intensively” on.
The plan, which was approved by UN member states in July, aims to boost international cooperation on migration.
Supporters have insisted it will not impact state sovereignty as it is not legally binding.
But it has been met with increasing hostility as a number of key countries have pulled out.
US President Donald Trump took America out of the pact in 2017.
And this week Austria said it would not agree the deal over fears it would lead to the recognition of a "human right to migration" and a blurring of the lines between legal and illegal migration.
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Austria’s withdrawal comes after Hungary’s right-wing government confirmed it would not sign the deal.
The UN’s pact comes at a time of increasing tensions over immigration in Europe, fuelling the rise of nationalist governments across the continent.
This week, Ms Merkel has announced she will not stand for re-election as head of her CDU party next month and she will stand down as Germany’s Chancellor in 2021 following disappointing election results which have largely been blamed on her disastrous immigration policies.