Poland to hold referendum on EU migration reforms

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/13/polish-prime-minister-to-hold-referendum-on-eus-immigration-plan

Well, this will definitely be interesting for all sorts of reasons and potentially incendiary. In October it looks like the Poles are going to have a referendum on immigration - specifically the EU's plan to distribute migrants around the bloc to take pressure off frontline countries. I wonder how it will effect Poland's already very strained relationship with the EU who accuse it of numerous violations of EU law particularly in relation to Polands judiciary.

Looks like we'll get to see the Poles cherry picking again.

On the referendum issue itself I don't think the result is going to be in much doubt. I'm not sure if the actual phrasing is as reported though.

Guy's first out of the blocks with his thoughts

https://twitter.com/guyverhofstadt/status/1690753958959005697

What do you reckon? Do you agree with having a referendum on immigration? Is it something other countries should consider? What will this do for Poland's relationship with EU?

LambshankRedemption

Looks like we'll get to see the Poles cherry picking again.

Post deleted.

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120974245#Comment_120974245

What are you on about??

The Poles cherry pick their adherence to EU law all the time. So does Hungary. Its not a sh1tty thing, its a self-evident fact. Do you misunderstand, perhaps, what cherry picking means?

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120974245#Comment_120974245

They've been cherry picking the laws they choose to follow - as fundamental as the independence of the Polish judiciary and are currently being fined daily by the commission as well as being taken to court.

Now, under the guise of a referendum, it appears they want cover to not help with the migration issue in Europe which is only going to annoy other countries in the bloc.

I'm not saying the referendum is wrong btw. Clearly countries can have referendums on whatever they like.

mykrodot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120974262#Comment_120974262

they're dead right ! Maybe its time we all got a bit "annoyed" at what's going on!

Working class heroes

Back under………

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120974262#Comment_120974262

I apologise, I misunderstood what you meant in the phrase cherry picking. I'm trying to delete that comment.

sameoldname

For a government who is the largest recipient of EU funds, €11 billion last year, not to mention the millions of Ukrainian refugees the rest of the EU took off their hands, I for one find their stance on just about everything to be a little... hypocritical. Their stance will sit well with the usual crowd mind.

satguy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058309168/poland-to-hold-referendum-on-eu-migration-reforms

Yep,, every country in the EU should have one, I think a referendum on immigration is over due.

Let the voters decide how open their borders should be.

Then we can all see where we stand.

dublincc2

The whole EU needs to hold similar referenda

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058309168/poland-to-hold-referendum-on-eu-migration-reforms

They are using the same post BREXIT tactics as several similar parties are doing to exit the EU without actually having a referendum on it. The idea is not unique to Poland or Hungry, it is happening in most countries of the EU/EEA/CH, it’s just in these countries the parties are in a position to push it further. The hope is that if they break enough of them they’ll get suspended. Then it will presented as we made a democratic decision and the EU did not respect it. Another version of the BREXIT sovereignty argument. Immigration is just the hand lever to do it.

here in Switzerland we have one of these anti EU referenda every year, but of course they are never actually about breaking the actual Bilateral we have with the EU. It’s about breaking some thing just below it that will cause the EU to exit the agreement. And it’s always about immigration in some form or another - accept fewer refugees, reduce EU citizens rights or even better grant better rights to some EU citizens so that decent is propagated among the members.

There is no doubt that a new approach is needed, but neither Poland nor Hungary are actually interested in solving the problem far from it. I expect they’ll have their referendum and then who ever holds the presidency at that stage will call for a meeting of minds on a new solution at which point Poland’s government will find all sorts of excuses and then just drop the issue since it is not going to get them what they want. Bit like the DUP discovering backing BREXIT was not going to smash the GFA.

fly_agaric

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058309168/poland-to-hold-referendum-on-eu-migration-reforms

The question looks to be ever so slightly queered if that is really what the wording will be (no Pole me). No doubt you approve of holding referendums like that for dodgy purposes with twisted wording, but it smells a bit fashy to me!

It is not really interesting, think it's just a stunt for firing up the base for the Polish elections, get them good and angry. Law and Justice party may be worried.

The govt. there seem to be pretty shameless and tbh if the Polish put them in again, like the Turks with Erdogan or Hungarians with Orbán they will deserve everything that (IMO) will inevitably come down the tracks at them later for voting in people like this again and again and again.

Sam Russell

The EU needs to review its competence on migration.

Is it reasonable that a person from outside the EU can arrive by whatever means in the EU, and self-declare themselves as requiring international protection?

Now many do require that protection, but some are arriving from countries that are going through the EU accession process, so are not requiring protection. [Georgia and Albania in particular]. Now, we should, as an EU state, be able to reject out of hand any migrant who claims protection from safe countries, and return the from whence they came as soon as they are detected.

Now that would require an EU unified agreement. Also, a streamlined decision methodology that allows definitive decision within say three months of arrival, and a set deportation or legalisation of the applicants status.

The intention should be equitable, and reduce the extent of forcing applicants to be in an uncertain situation.

The EU should setup a procedure by which application to seek international protection is possible without requiring the involvement of people traffickers.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120978635#Comment_120978635

Is it reasonable that a person from outside the EU can arrive by whatever means in the EU, and self-declare themselves as requiring international protection?

That would not be reasonable. It is also not even remotely the law.