Ukraine rejects Polish ‘million refugees’ claim

Andriy Deshchytsia, Ukraine's ambassador to Poland, rejected on 20 January 2016 the claim from Poland's prime minister Beata Szydło that her country was hosting a million Ukrainian refugees, saying they were not refugees and could at most be called 'economic migrants'.

Poland's conservative government has repeatedly used the argument that it should not be forced to accept refugees from Syria and North Africa as it had already faced a potential influx of refugees from neighbouring Ukraine. Ms Szydło took the argument a step further during a debate in the European Parliament on Poland's rule of law.

The country's previous government, which stepped down in November 2015, had agreed to take in thousands of refugees under a directive of the European Union.

ESO: Background information: View from Poland: New government, new tone http://www.europeansources.info/record/view-from-poland-new-government-new-tone/

ESO: Background information: Foreign Minister Schetyna will not ‘juggle numbers’ on refugees http://www.europeansources.info/record/foreign-minister-schetyna-will-not-juggle-numbers-on-refugees/

Politico, 22.01.16: Poland quibbles over who’s a refugee and who’s a migrant http://www.politico.eu/article/poland-quibbles-over-whos-a-refugee-and-whos-a-migrant-beata-szydlo-asylum-schengen/

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