The Advocate General at the European Court of Justice, Eleanor Sharpstone, said today that Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary had violated European Union regulations by refusing to take part in the migrant relocation programme in 2015. The Advocate General’s opinion may play a vital role in the verdict the Court is to give in a few months, even though the EU withdrew from the original relocation programme in 2017.  

In 2015, Poland refused to take part in the migrant relocation programme, fearing for the safety of its citizens as a result of uncontrolled immigration. According to the European Commission, which filed the lawsuit against Poland, Hungary and Czech Republic in the European Court of Justice, the three countries not only broke the law, but also violated the EU rule of unity. However, a spokesman for the Polish government said that Poland’s refusal has a legal basis in the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union, which states that the internal affairs and matters of public security are decided on by the individual member states.

Jan Maria Jackowski, the Law and Justice senator said: “It’s not as though Poland hasn’t shown any solidarity, it’s actually the opposite. We welcomed many political refugees, who had to run to our country in fear of their lives and well-being. This wasn’t taken into account by the Court’s Advocate General”.

Polish government officials stress that almost none of the EU member states fulfilled their obligations to meet the relocation quotas entirely, and said that the lawsuit against only Poland, Hungary and Czech Republic is yet further proof of unequal treatment by the EU.

Source: Poland Daily/NB

Picture:  The European Commission/Foter/Glyn LoWe