Poland under pressure of EU to accept more asylum seeking refugees

"I haven't noticed Poles in the UK being ordered out because they have certain political views. Of course the UK is not as ****** up as Poland. That's why you are there, or in the US, right?" many Poles left their fatherland primarily for economic reasons; Places like Uk and US are socially inferior compared to Poland; Poland would be wise to deport everyone who doesnt bother learning Polish; Look at places like Sweden who are committing suicide and Poland should not follow their path

OK, I have enough of ignorance and anti-Polish and anti-Slavic chauvinism on this thread so I decided to write sth again on this wretched forum...


I see "you British have class" but can't read Polish, yes? lol
I guess if you could read it you would read Polish newspapers and you would know that the Polish PM, Ewa Kopacz, declared that Poland would take in 50-60 Christian families from Syria because... Christian priests from Churches in Damascus asked for taking in 300 persecuted Christian families and 150 orphans. Kopacz said that they will "start" by bringing 50-60 families to Poland.

So it was a specific request by specific people and the help with organising this was provided by a private organisation - Fundacja Estera (Estera Foundation). The Estera Foundation is trying to bring persecuted Christian families from Syria to Poland (the foundation is run by Polish-Syrian Miriam Shaded). The foundation declared in the media that the costs of travel and living in Poland for those Syrians will be covered by charity organisations, Churches and business people and all that is needed is the will on the part of the Polish government to take them in. They all got visas, so they are all here lagally. YES, THOSE 50 OR 60 FAMILIES ARE ALREADY IN POLAND. As far as I know they requested asylum status and so they have the right to medical care and schooling.

According to Ewa Piechota, the spokesperson of the Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców, the prognostics look good (concerning them getting the asylum). Although I've also read that not all of those people really needed help - some of them simply wanted to leave Syria. But generally the whole operation is seen as a positive and the Polish government will continue to cooperate with Estera Foundation.

It was bishop Andrzej Czaja from the Opole diocese who declared that his diocese will take in those 50 families and together with Caritas and Bank Żywności (Food Bank) will provide shelter and food. All interested would like to avoid creating some sort of refugee camp. The Ester Foundation and Stowarzyszenie Libertus (Libertus Association) from Opole will help with the assimilation of the refugees by providing language courses and aiding them with finding legal jobs:

pch24.pl/diecezja-opolska-przyjmie-50-chrzescijanskich-rodzin-z-syrii,36458,i.html

As you can see, it's largely a private effort by people our "classy" British Dougpol1 is so ashamed to live among.
If you'd like to help too, feel free to chip in:
fundacjaestera.pl/chce-pomoc

I'd like to also just point out that in that poll for Rzeczpospolita (which is a conservative newspaper, btw) the question was about obligatory receiving of refugees by Poland as decided by the UE and not taking in refugees in general by Poland.

I've read that according to a CBOS poll done 3 months ago majority of Poles (3/4 of Poles) think that Poland should provide shelter for people persecuted for their beliefs and political activity as well as those escaping armed conflicts. However, over a half of Poles think that they should be granted asylum up to a point when it will be OK for them to go back home. One in five Poles say they wouldn't mind them settling in Poland. What would be the answers now - I don't know.

Btw, one of the Syrian women who arrived in Poland said that the Polish government and churches were the first to help Christians living in Syria (I don't know if that's true, I'm just quoting).

As for Polish "filthy" politicians - my translation of a fragment of this article:

tvp.info/20798529/kopacz-o-uchodzcach-morze-srodziemne-jest-dzis-najwiekszym-cmentarzyskiem-badzcie-wrazliwi-na-to-co-sie-dzieje

(the date of the publication of the article: 11.07.2015)

"- In the group that arrived in our country there were women and small children so I appeal to the opposition parties: be sensitive to what's taking place, we were helped too in the past - said the prime minister Ewa Kopacz, asked about the refugees from Syria and Africa, first of whom arrived in Poland - We can't close our eyes to the fact that the Mediterranean Sea is the biggest cemetery today.

The prime minister who was visiting the Masuria region reacted to the criticism of the opposition which claims we shouldn't take in Syrians because they are culturally alien to us - Those who proclaim so loudly the slogans of solidarity and empathy today are saying : let us not help others. It's about people's lives, so less politics, please - Kopacz appealed.

She also reminded of the solidarity shown to Poland by the Western countries, when we were in need - We got help from the West, when we needed help. Today, when others need help, we should do it as fast as possible, but also professionally and responsibly."

And to all those Poles or Polish-Americans or Polish-Australians or whomever is writing on here and considers himself a Christian I'll just quote one Pole who was so eagerly listened to, but too often not heard, apparently:

"I heard back then in Gdańsk from you: there's no freedom without solidarity. Today we ought to say: there's no solidarity without love. Furthermore, there's no happiness, there's no future for a person and a nation without love, the love that forgives, although doesn't forget, the love which is sensitive to the hardship of others, the love that isn't selfish, but yearns for the well-being of others; the love that serves, forgets about itself and is ready for generous giving. Therefore we are called upon to build the future based on the love of God and our neighbour. To building the civilisation of love. Today the world and Poland need people with strong hearts who love and serve in humility, who bless and not imprecate and by blessing inherit the earth."

(John Paul II, 5.06.1999 during a mass in Sopot)

Sorry for the lame translation, but I think this quote is very much up to date.

(Btw, I read the Bible, Dougpol1, so there you go - your first Pole doing that, hurray!)

Welcome back, Paulina! :)

Hi! I read in yesterday's GW that Iran accepted 116,000 Polish refugees during WWII ;). In those days, apparently Poles did not mind ... Muslims ;);););

@Paulina: 50/60 families and so what? There are min. hundreds of thousands of refugees. Poor Greece does thousand times more than Poland does and Spain, which is comparable to Poland does at least hundred times more than Poland does.

Tusk demands refugees to spread out throughout the EU (Poland is no. 1 fund recipient and also since Poland is part of NATO, it has a big part of responsability in the Middle-East destabilizing) and let's see how many Poland shall take in ;).

Poland cannot keep living off EU's money (= western Europeans' tax money) while refusing solidarity.

Poland and similar countries' reputation has gone to the dogs! Keep going on!

Good post Paulina- refugees are a problem for all of Europe . Anyone who states Poland has not seen an increase in Political asylum seekers is either blind or deluded, the numbers of africans, Asians and semiotics on the streets of Warsaw has risen significantly over the last two years. It is the responsibility for any incoming migrant to learn the language of their host country. Far too many migrants turn up and expect to be given all for free.How could any immigrant expect to assimilate if they do not speak the language of the indigenous population. In my opinion all incoming migrants to Poland need to be re-educated with life skills which are salable in the host country..

How many ... asylum seekers in Poland and how many in any Western European country? Let's compare for a "laugh" ;).
PS: who told you that asylum seeks don't learn language and don't adjust to local ways? I'm personally a political refugee's granddaugther.

Inpolska, EU reconstruction funds and accepting asylum seekers are two separate issues and do not go hand in hand. The war on terror has created a massive surge of economical migrants to European borders. If the war in Ukraine escalates Poland will experience a significant flow of refugees from the east, who will come to pol ands rescue at that time?

Witamy ponownie na PF, Paulinko! A good, well-balanced post, indeed. Not only Iran helped Polish refugees accompaying Gen. Anders' army after leaving Soviet Russia. India (admittedly a British colony back then) took in Polish war orphans as did Australia and some African countries, and Polish refugees were aided all along their long trek across the middle East which for many led to the UK and beyond.

It is true, that was during mankind's biggest and bloodiest war, but today's refugee crisis has also created a post-war-like situation in terms of the masses of unfortunates it has displaced.

@InPolska

You have an awfully selective memory.

Actually Saudi Arabia (along with Qatar and other Gulf states) plays a major role in destabilizing the Middle East. Who do you think supports ISIS and other terrorist groups? ISIS ideology arouse from the Wahhabi religious establishment in Saudi Arabia. Actually I blame Saudi Arabia for most Sunni terrorist groups. Russia and Iran are hardly innocent either since they do provide military support to Assad in Syria. US (and allied countries) obviously contributed and are contributing to the conditions that created the war in Syria and Iraq too. Erdogan along with AKP in Turkey also helped to create the quagmire in Syria (allowing the flow of jihadists through Turkey or allowing trade with the Islamic State). Continuing conflict between the Isrealis and Palestians also destabilizes the Middle East (although this doesn't apply directly to the Syrian conflict). Frankly, the blame for the refugee crisis in Syria can go all around (not just NATO). The worst is of course ISIS and they need to be defeated.

Inpolska, no one needs to tell me anything as the facts speak for themselves, out of group of Christian refugees , Sikorski gave political asylum to in libya, less than 10% remain in Poland. Poland is viewed as a soft processing center for asylum seekers to arrive in, before they move on. Poland does need to do more it's needs to raises its game on processing asylum seekers.

@Imo: the EU is not a supermarket, what Poland and other Eastern countries cannot understand. All they want is to to receive money.

Of course western countries have destabilized the Middle East area but don't forget that Poland has taken part to all wars in the past few years, including and not only in Irak with their great friend Bush, whom they followed as blind dogs.

Now, Poland, Hungary and consorts are part of the EU and they shall understand that being in EU is NOT only receiving welfare but ALSO to be part of the group. If Poland (and others) don't like it, why don't they get out of the EU???

The world sees what countries are generous and what countries are selfish....

@InPolska

I have no idea why you are complaining. In the news, I did hear that the Polish government agreed to help 2200 refugees.

Poland's GDP (PPP) per capita in 2014 was around 68% of the EU average (compared to 107% for France or 124% for Germany; EU28=100%). How long have France, Germany, Italy, and others been in the EU to benefit their economies and build up wealth, and how long has central Europe? How long have certain countries of Western Europe built up wealth on the backs of their colonies in Africa, Middle East, and elsewhere? How many countries in Western Europe imported workforce to industralize and become weathy? Please don't lecture about EU funding (well, didn't Greece receive a massive amount of EU funding in the past? What happened to that?

Some countries can be more generous than others. It's not all about population or area or even GDP growth (look up at the high GDP growth of some countries in Africa).

If you are talking about selfish countries, why don't you include Saudi Arabia or the Gulf states?

I was explaining the backround of Polish prime minister's words to Dougpol1, who clearly misunderstood what she was saying, in case you haven't noticed.


Poland is not comparable to any Western country - it's much poorer. Despite this fact I think it should do it's share, as much is in my country's power. Obviously - it's the "transit" countries that are the most burdened right now - Greece, Hungary, Serbia, etc.

However, the problem is that majority of those people don't want to stay neither in transit countries nor live in Poland and "similar countries", as you put it, but they want to go to Germany (and also Norway, the Netherlands, the UK, maybe Sweden):

"Everyone wants to go to Germany. The only reason why refugees are still here in Spain is because they are stuck," says Mr Haousheh, as he surveys the neon-lit common room where he and a group of fellow refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Iran spend their days."

Quote from:
ft.com/cms/s/0/92d196c2-50ba-11e5-b029-b9d50a74fd14.html#axzz3kk6Zh2ar

Also, it's not a neverending paradise:

"In the case of Spain and other southern European countries, however, there is at least one other crucial incentive to leave: many refugees no longer have access to food, shelter and other basic services. "After six months, you don't get anything. Spain simply throws you out into the street," says Mr Haousheh."


Yes, let's see, shall we? ;)


Yes, yes, I've read many times on this thread that Poland SHOULD DO AS IT'S TOLD by the EU, but since Poles don't like being told what to do and usually do the opposite of what they're being told to do (there are even jokes about it in Poland), I would advise all of you to refrain from such "Soviet Union-like" rhetoric, because it's likely to achieve the opposite effect... It definitely works on me in such a way - when I read your comments I feel like opting out of the EU and throwing back every f*cking eurocent in your faces :) So I think that, with Poles, it would be wiser and more effective to change your tone and use sensible, humane arguments. That is, if you ever talk about this to Poles in real life, and not only to internet trolls.


Yes, the whole of the EU seems to be failing, to be honest, not only "similar countries" (whatever you mean by that).
Also, not long ago a CNN reporter was asking some UN commissioner about the role of rich Arab, Muslim countries - the refugees were complaining to her and asking why do they have to go to Europe, what about countries like Saudi Arabia or Qatar - why aren't they helping them? (again, I'm just quoting) And what about Canada and that little boy with his face down on the beach of Turkey. Him and his family could be alive and well in Canada if they were granted an asylum but they were denied. And Canada is filthy rich in comparison to Poland, just like the rest of the West...


I already regret it.


And what country do you hail from, InPolska, if you don't mind me asking?


InPolska, I don't understand what's your problem - you've read (hopefully) what our prime minister said and Poland declared it will take in the refugees.

And I think it's a good thing, especially that Poland bears some responsibility for creating the mess in Iraq by aiding the US in the invasion, although I'm pretty sure that the moment those people step out of some refugee centre they will go to Germany, quotas or no quotas.


Yes, and we all should bear that in mind.

50 is a start, but it's also barely a drop in the ocean. The scale of the current crisis is unprecedented since the end of WWII - no comparisons with previous migrations or refugee crises are adequate.

The simple fact is that 800,000 people are fleeing a war zone. There's nowhere for them to go back to, nobody else will take them. Whichever country is their destination of choice, whoever we perceive as bearing blame for the situation, whatever the individual circumstances of the member state, this is an EU-wide issue and whether we do the right thing or the wrong thing, the people will still come.

Everything probably will be a drop in the ocean since the war will probably last for 10 or 15 years - and the root cause of this migration crisis will not end soon. I think that ISIS should be dealt with like the Nazis were dealt with, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen...


I look at what's happening and I recall the ship St Louis being turned back by the Americans with almost 1000 Jews on board - refugees from the Third Reich, many of whom ended up later on in gas chambers. It seems incomprehensible nowadays... Unimaginable...

Or is it?
Turkey took in 2 millions of refugees and the EU is bickering about quotas and laws and "banana's curvature", as we joke in Poland, and refugees in Hungary seem as clueless as before.

I hope the EU will come up with some kind of legal solution and fast...

Jon357,

You are over-simplifying... the migrant surge includes refugees fleeing war zones AND economic migrants. Many of the people coming by boat from Libya are sub-Saharan Africans. Some are coming from conflict zones (northern Nigeria or actually Libya since these Africans were guest workers in Libya) and some are just seeing an opportunity to get into Europe (i.e. they coming from poor regions of Africa; not all countries in Africa are at war). You also have to notice that many migrants are young men -- so what happened there? Their families were left behind in dangerous situations, but these young men left? Not everything adds up here. The point I'm trying to make is Europe needs to deal with this assertively. Some refugees could be allowed to stay but others should be deported. Also since when has the EU outsourced border control to people smugglers -- i.e. these smugglers are really selecting who gets on the risky boat journeys (or gets packed in trucks)?

The opposite of over simplification - the people are coming, most of them by far from a war zone (and others from regions with violence) and the scale of the issue currently means that it is impossible to filter in the short term.


Indeed - since the numbers fleeing to Europe will only increase in the short term.

If not wanting thousands of muslims living in their country is "racist" then I must be one too.

What is wrong in wanting to preserve the identity and culture of a country ? About 10 years ago I would have been disgusted at what I am writing but having lived with multi-culturism I now know it doesn't work and ultimately divides society.

Jon357
Provide actual evidence that ALL the migrants are coming from a war zone (I'm not talking about UNHCR estimates). Yes, many are, but not all. You don't actually know the percentage (and neither do I), since the situation is changing. We will only know after the data is collected from asylum applications (even then there would be questionable claims). Right now we are only working on "educated" guesses.

Random -1- your post is spot on.

As an add on, Poland should learn from the failures of the west on integrating asylum seekers and economic migrants. No one would like to see this country follow the failures of the so called more advanced west.

THE WEST

home of the beheading and drive by shooting. Let's emulate them!

This reporter gives an excellent, alternative view. Probably too near the truth for jon357 and dougpol1.

telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/11842760/Prepare-yourselves-The-Great-Migration-will-be-with-us-for-decades.html

I think this is entirely why we need to come up with a solution that involves judging asylum cases in safe non-EU countries first. The most sensible proposal I've seen suggested that the EU could open up transit camps in places such as Morocco and Western Ukraine - where claims could be processed. Anyone fished out of the sea (for instance) would be taken immediately to those camps, rather than to Europe. Likewise - anyone actually arriving would be taken immediately to those camps.

With the right systems in place, they could make decisions within 72 hours of arrival.

This is the natural progression

Open Immigration - OVER
Asylum Seekers - NEXT

Hang in there European brothers. This is the battle we must face for the safety of our grand-children.

Of course the situation is a human tragedy but however the attitude of countries such as Poland, Hungary, The Czech Republic and consorts is most shoking and does shock. Such countries have received and are still receiving so much help financially and otherwise and now, they don't want to help. Let's not forget that Poland has fought with the US in Irak and has ever since fought in all wars in the Middle-East so they are part of the team;). I have a lot of Poles around me who are ashamed of their counntry and I agree with them.

Even the UN (heard this am) demands the EU to act asap. Let's not be naive, even if Poland (and others) are forced to take in a (very) few of these refugees, said refugees won't stay long in Poland since asap they'll move westwards.

As to Poland "not being able to afford" this is pure BS since EU shall financially assist countries in supporting refugees. When Poles (and consorts) had to flee to other countries, they did not bother re host country's finances.

The world sees what countries are generous and what countries are selfish. Obviously Poland has forgotten about its socalled "Christian values". Others can die like mere vermin but the huge majority could not care less as long as EU's money keeps coming.

Lets suppose you are correct, they move Westwards. To do this, Poland will have to provide them with documentation, possibly with new passports as most of the refugees dispose of their ID. If they manage to get into the UK on Polish passports, there will be a backlash against the genuine Poles who live and work there. There is talk that this distribution is only temporary and the refugees will be returned to their homelands when the war/wars end.

After seeing the reactions of those in Hungary, who refuse to be processed, I do not believe that they will go back voluntarily.

Let's cut to the chase and tell it how it is. Just think logically but more importantly take the emotion out of the problem.

They are from countries where wars of some kind have been going on for years, strange thing is it's Muslims killing other Muslims, where they live in homes made from mud and wood, much like a 1000 years ago, virtually no medical care, without a doubt no social or welfare system, poor, if any education process, they don't even like girls getting an education.

Now let's compare that to the ''west'' free education, free medical care, good housing conditions and guess what, if you don't have a job we will give you some ''free'' money, what is there to think about, countries being politically correct so as not to appear racist.

Another thing to think about, with these extra millions of people and don't fool yourself thinking it's not that many, (2.2 million Syrian refugees just in Turkey) the numbers quoted in the media are just ones they know about, think about the strain, pressure and overload put onto the services in the countries they end up in, these countries will eventually snap.

Just look at the state of the train station in Hungary, looks like a refugee camp within less that a week. Why do they ''demand'' everything, they should be grateful they haven't been returned to their own countries already.

No more than the US sending away St Louis with Jewish refugees on board escaping from Nazi Germany.
Nothing new. People are pretty selfish creatures, especially in times of some financial hardship, etc.
And, of course, by "consorts" you mean the UK, the US, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, etc. etc.?


So what? The Western countries don't need to receive help, they're that rich, and yet somehow it doesn't look like they're willing to take in willingly millions of refugees. Only Germany stands out, as far as I can see.

And by saying they don't want to help you're simply lying - Poland agreed to take in refugees, ordinary Poles are already helping and Hungary apparently has more refugees than Italy o_O


Iraq - yes, but what kind of other wars in the Middle East are you're talking about? As far as I know Poland took part in the invasion of Iraq and as far as NATO operations are concerened - Polish forces are in Aphganistan and that's it o_O


That is so gracious and noble of you that you're ashamed of their country, but you haven't answered me yet - which country do you come from that you're so self-righteous?


For how long?
Have you read the article in The Financial Times? Or at least the quotes I provided? In Spain and other Southern countries the refugees are left with no help after six months. Poland also isn't a "benefits' country", so it's no rocket science how those refugees can end up. Even when Poland was evacuating Ukrainians with Polish roots from Donbas I was wondering what their fate is going to be, since I've seen a documentary about people of Polish origin repatriated from the territories of the Soviet Union - it was pretty depressing. It was some years ago, but Poland still isn't a land of milk and honey even for Poles and that's the reality and Poles realise what's the reality - and, apparently, even refugees do. We could say that we will take in everybody since they will go to Germany, Norway, etc. anyway, but what's the point? To look nice on BBC and CNN? lol

As I wrote, I will be happy if Poland will do it's share but at the same I, as other Poles, know very well where probably majority of those refugees will be heading once they arrive in Poland.


No refugees care about that and noone expects them to do that. It's the governments' job to care about that.


Yes, the world sees what countries are doing the nice talking for the time being, let's see what they will be doing later on. For now Germany said the Dublin Regulation is still in place, the last time I heard, so all the refugees/immigrants will have to be registered in Hungary (and as we could see for some reason they don't want to be registered there) and all the burden is still on the "transit" countries.

I am curious to see how many refugees Germany and others will take in reality.
What about so called "Christian values" of the US? Shouldn't The Land of the Free take the greatest burden since it's been making all those wars? I do wonder why do you cherry-pick the poorer countries which are emigrant and not immigrant countries?

I wouldn't expect from countries like Bulgaria or Romania to take any arbitrary quotas because I know very well that they're even poorer than Poland.


Maybe the UN should say the same thing to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the US, Canada, etc.?


Oh dear, you've just admitted that quotas are simply pointless. And what now? Do you have some sensible, constructive advice or can you only dance in the clouds on rainbows and wave a unicorn horn at bad, bad Poland and its' "consorts"? lol

You can come down on Poland and feel good about yourself all you want, but that won't solve the problem, which will be a growing problem.

How to keep refugees in Poland and other "consort" countries? Should we lock them up? What do you suggest, genius?

Btw, I must say I've noticed the same thing about many of the refugees arrving in Europe as was mentioned in the article in The Telegraph - they don't look poor or wretched or anything. Some of the boys I've seen were quite well dressed with fancy hairstyles - they're probably from Damascus? This is in stark contrast to those refugees in camps in Lebanon (or Libya?) - I mean, for example, this social add at CNN - "what changed for you in 4 years". Those people look downright poor and miserable and like in need of much help. I'm not saying that those that came to Europe don't need a safe place to live, but... Well, just compare the pictures... I'm starting to wonder whether those people who need the most help aren't missing out on it the most...

The questions which needs to be is why is the media not being used to beam images back to refugees, showing just how desperate the situation is in Europe to deter would be asylum seekers.they may choose alternative countries if they are aware of just how intolerable the situation has become.

"Cough - I am talking about the money markets and the stock exchange. I thought that was understood."

Psycho, so you say that Poland wants further sanctions against Russia to help PLN/GPW ?? Due to these sanctions we lose more than majority of other EU countries, nevertheless we are willing to pay the price, so much for your whole "selfish nation" shyt. We simply care more about Ukraine because it is close and full of similar people. While Africans/Arab Muslims should seek help of... other Africans/Arab Muslims !!!! Many states in Africa are middle income countries with fast growing economies, oil Arabs are filthy rich. We owe nothing to Somalis and such. NOTHING !!!

BTW 1 -> wiadomosci.onet.pl/kraj/miriam-shaded-polska-dobrze-robi-sprzeciwiajac-sie-brukseli/9gy27e -> Miriam Shaded - Polish-Syrian working to bring more Syrian Christians to Poland. In short: "EU's actions are encouraging illegal immigration, majority of those coming to Europe are muslim males including terrorists, Poland is doing the right thing not giving in to EU's "quotas".

BTW 2 Go check the stats on where the recent "asylum seekers" are coming from, damn load of Somalis, Pakis, Albanians and such, not really that many Syrians and... hardly any Ukrainians. Why ? Because they would be refused anyway. Why ? Because only part of Ukraine is a war zone so they can move elsewhere inside of the country. Makes sense ? OK so now is 100% of the friggin Pakistan the war zone !!!???