Poland says it will uphold its veto on EU migration pact

Poland will uphold its veto on a European Union migration pact, its prime minister said on Friday, as the bloc searches for agreement on a system for the sharing out asylum seekers who reach Europe outside of official border crossings.

The EU’s top migration official said the bloc was set to agree how to handle irregular immigration soon after ministers’ talks yielded no final deal on Thursday, with Berlin and Rome worried over rising arrivals ahead of key elections.

Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party also faces elections on Oct. 15 and one of its main campaign promises is to protect Poland from illegal immigration. It announced a referendum on the issue on the same day as the vote.

“I am going to the European Council next week where I will uphold my veto on illegal migration,” Mateusz Morawiecki said in a televised statement.

“This is an attempt to attack not only the sovereignty of Poland and other member states, but also an attempt to destabilize the EU in a non-democratic manner.”