GETTY Interior minister Mariusz Błaszczak's comments are likely to anger EU chiefs like Donald Tusk

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Speaking on Polish radio, interior minister Mariusz Błaszczak said agreeing to European Union quotas would “certainly be worse” than any punishment Brussels could give them. His astonishing comments this morning could result in Poland being sanctioned and stripped of its voting rights. Brussels officials yesterday urged Poland to discuss a breach of the law of not accepting any migrants rather than enforce any punishment against Warsaw.

Merkel's plea for Tusk Thu, March 9, 2017 Merkel, who spoke ahead of a EU summit in Brussels, said the planned re-election of Poland's Donald Tusk as president of the European Union is a "sign of stability" for the bloc, despite bitter opposition from Warsaw Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 7 French President Francois Hollande speaks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the second day of a European Summit at the Europa Building at the EU headquarters in Brussels

Let us remember the terrorist attacks, which are a fact in the larger states of the European Union, unfortunately Mariusz Błaszczak

Mr Blaszczak said: “Let us keep in mind what happened in Western Europe. "Let us remember the terrorist attacks, which are a fact in the larger states of the European Union, unfortunately.” In September 2015, EU leaders agreed that each country would accept a number of asylum seekers over two years to alleviate the pressure on Greece and Italy.

GETTY Merkel has very different views on migrants to the Polish leader

However, the Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo has refused to accept any refugees and in March she linked the Westminster terror attack to Europe’s migration policy. Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło told reporters in Warsaw: “There is no chance that refugees could be received in Poland at the moment and we certainly will not accept the imposition on Poland or other member states of any kind of mandatory quotas.” More than 20 governments spoke out against Warsaw’s action at the General Affairs Council this week.

Iverna McGowan of Amnesty International said: “European ministers’ response to the Polish government’s attacks on fundamental rights was inadequate, given the gravity of the situation. “Instead they passed the bucks right back to the European Commission.” The European Commission’s first vice president, Frans Timmermans, said: “I hope to see a reaction by the Polish government on the basis of today’s debate, dialogue is the only real constructive way.”

GETTY Campaigners in Poland against migrants