"Migration decisions can only be made by member states. It depends on the labor market, on demographics. No international institution can impose this type of decision its member states… We will not allow the decision-making power on these matters to be shifted from states to the EU institutions," Waszczykowski said while aired by Polish Television.
The Commission does not understand the need of some EU member states to protect their labor markets and security, he added.
In September 2015, the heads of the Internal Affairs Ministries of EU member states decided to resettle 120,000 asylum seekers that arrived to Italy and Greece to 23 out of 28 countries of the bloc in addition to the previously agreed upon 40,000 people with a specific quota for each member state.
Poland was expected to accept some 7,000 refugees under the EU mandatory relocation scheme, but refused to comply. Polish authorities have repeatedly stated that they opposed the forced movement of refugees, but were willing to help migrants if they voluntarily expressed the desire to live in the country.
Polish President Andrzej Duda said on Thursday that the country would hold a referendum on accepting refugees if the European Union continued to exert pressure on Warsaw.
