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In 2015, EU member states adopted a solidarity plan to relocate 160,000 asylum-seekers from refugee camps in Italy and Greece. The ruling party in Poland at the time, Civic Reform, agreed to take in 6,200 refugees. However, there was a parliamentary election that year which took place during the migration crisis and the Eurosceptic party, Law and Justice, was elected.

GETTY Polish Foreign Minister said Poland is not willing to accept migrants from the Middle East

In an interview with RIA Novosti, foreign minister Witold Waszcykowski said that the relocation scheme violates European treaties. He said: “Poland is open for migration. And last year for instance we issued 1,267,000 visas for Ukrainians. Half of these visas were work permits. “We are also open for migration not only from Ukraine but also from Belarus and other countries.

Migrant crisis: Key locations before and after Tue, April 4, 2017 In these composite images, a comparison has been made between a scene at a key location during the height of the 2015 migrant crisis last year and the view there now Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 10 Aid workers help migrants up the shore after making the crossing from Turkey to the Greek island of Lesbos on November 16, 2015 in Sikaminias, Greece

“We do not want to participate in the mandatory process of relocation of migrants coming from the Middle East and Africa. “We do not want to implement the decision of the European Union taken in September of 2015.” The European Union population has reached almost 512 million and the ongoing migration crisis has contributed to an increase of almost 1.5 million in 2016.

GETTY Pro government rally in Poland

In mid-June, the European Commission brought a lawsuit against Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary for refusing to accept refugees and violating EU legislation. The Law and Justice party said that they were “delighted” with the legal challenge.

GETTY President of the European Commission Jean Claude Juncker