The Polish government will not allow a migrant crisis similar to that seen in Western Europe, Interior Minister Mariusz Błaszczak has said.

“The policy of multiculturalism in Western Europe is bringing about a bloody harvest in the form of terrorist attacks,” Błaszczak told Polish Radio on Tuesday.

He said that Europe is dealing with a “massive immigration crisis”.

The Polish conservative Law and Justice (PiS) government has refused to accept migrants from the Middle East and Africa under an EU programme to relocate some 160,000 asylum seekers currently residing in camps in Italy and Greece.

The previous Polish government coalition led by the Civic Platform (PO) party had accepted the deal signed by EU member states.

“Our predecessors, agreeing to receive thousands of refugees – and de facto immigrants from the Middle East, and northern Africa – were striving to bring about such a crisis,” Błaszczak said.

He added that while PiS was in power, it would “not allow a repeat of what we are dealing with in Western Europe”. (rg/pk)