Expert: Poland has no set programme for migrant integration
PR dla Zagranicy
Roberto Galea
27.06.2015 12:23
Although Poland will announce in July how many migrants it will take on as part of an EU-wide policy, the country does not have a plan to integrate them in society, a report says.
Migrants for Syria, Pakistan and Afghanistan sit in tents as they take a break in Belgrade on their way to EU through Serbia in Belgrade, Serbia, 26 June 2015. Photo: EPA/KOCA SULEJMANOVIC
Mirosław Bieniecki, the head of Institute of Migrantion Studies, which published the report, said that “From now, we should spend a lot more energy, a lot more time and resources so that Poland's integration policy is implemented in a coherent and thoughtful manner.”
The European Commission recommended that over the next two years Poland take on almost 2,700 asylum seekers originally from Syria and Eritrea who had landed in Italy and Greece.
During an EU summit on Thursday and Friday the leaders of member countries agreed to take on migrants, but on a voluntary basis – not stick to the quotas set by the EC.
According to Piotr Kaźmierkiewicz from the Institute for Migration Studies, the disadvantage of the Polish method of integration is that most of the activities are financed via European funds.
“However,” Kaźmierkiewicz noted, “in recent years progress has been made. Poland set out its priorities in terms of integration and migration of foreigners.” (rg)
Source: IAR, PAP