Warsaw mayor: Poland could bill EU billions for hosting Ukrainian refugees

If Poland were to submit a bill to the European Union for the costs associated with hosting Ukrainian refugees, it would amount to billions, said Warsaw’s Mayor and Polish presidential candidate, Rafał Trzaskowski.

"If we were to invoice the European Union for the Ukrainians we’ve accepted, they would owe us billions," Trzaskowski stated, Caliber.Az reports, referencing foreign media.

Regarding Poland's position on the EU’s migration pact, Trzaskowski reaffirmed that his party, the Civic Coalition, which has nominated him as a presidential candidate, will never agree to the implementation of the pact’s provisions.

"We voted against it, and the Polish Prime Minister has made it clear that we will not accept any relocation," he added.

He also stressed Poland’s significant contribution to European migration efforts, particularly in aiding millions of Ukrainians. "We have already done our part when it comes to European migration policy," Trzaskowski emphasized.

Meanwhile, on February 4, Poland's Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, announced that the country will not implement the European Union's Migration Pact or accept provisions requiring it to take in relocated migrants from other EU nations. Speaking at a press conference, Tusk stressed that this decision is final and should not be politicized. 

He ruled out any scenario where Poland would face penalties for refusing to relocate migrants, asserting that the Migration Pact does not impose such obligations. While acknowledging that the EU Parliament recently approved migration policy reforms, Tusk reiterated that all migration-related decisions for Poland will be made in Warsaw, not Brussels.

He clarified that Poland does not oppose the pact’s implementation in other EU countries, such as Italy and Spain, but demands EU support to address its own migration issues rather than being coerced into compliance.

The European Union has been grappling with migration policies, particularly in light of reforms approved by the European Parliament. The Migration Pact has been a point of contention, with some member states calling for greater collective responsibility, while others, including Poland, continue to oppose mandatory migrant relocation.

By Aghakazim Guliyev