The Polish government under Prime Minister Donald Tusk was able to negotiate a special deal with Brussels.Image: keystone
June 12, 2026, 1:17 p.mJune 12, 2026, 1:17 p.m
Poland will not accept any additional refugees and will only partially implement the EU migration pact. This was announced by the Interior Ministry in Warsaw on the occasion of the new EU rules coming into force.
Poland is exempt from the redistribution of refugees in the EU and the associated costs. In two years of negotiations with Brussels, it was possible to adapt the migration pact to “Polish circumstances”.
“Poland will only apply those provisions that strengthen border protection, tighten migration policy and improve access to data that contribute to combating illegal migration,” the statement said.
Heavily secured border with Belarus
The concessions to Poland are justified by the burden that the country has to bear on the eastern border of the EU and NATO. The border with Belarus must be secured with almost military means.
Poland and the EU accuse Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko of having organized migrants from crisis regions to the EU’s external border in order to put pressure on the West. Recently, however, illegal entries have declined. Behind Belarus is its ally Russia. Poland has also taken in more Ukrainian refugees than any other country. (nil/sda/dpa)