The referendum will decide whether to approve a forced relocation mechanism, not whether help should be given to people in distress, government spokesman Piotr Müller said on Thursday. He commented on the Polish Catholic Church’s stance, which criticized using refugees for political ends and argued that a referendum was unnecessary to address migration challenges.
During the press briefing, Müller was asked about the Polish Episcopate Council for Migration, Tourism and Pilgrimage’s communiqué. It stated that responses to new migration policy challenges “do not need to be subjected to a referendum,” but urged decisions to be taken thoughtfully, with social considerations in mind for the future.
“In that case, we disagree on this point,”
the government spokesman said.
“We believe that in important situations citizens should have a say in a referendum. And we are talking about forced relocation because that is what a referendum concerns, not simply whether we help someone in a difficult situation.”
He stressed that the question to be put to voters concerns the acceptance of a forced relocation mechanism.
Müller emphasized that the matter relates to reforming migration rules within the European Union, a reform Poland opposes, particularly the notion of “mandatory solidarity” among EU member states on refugees.
In June, PiS president Jarosław Kaczyński announced that the issue of relocating migrants within the EU should be decided by referendum. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki confirmed plans to hold the referendum alongside the autumn parliamentary elections.
Appeal from the Polish Episcopate on Migration
The Council of the Polish Episcopate noted that migration issues have increasingly dominated public debate for some time.
We call on all participants, politicians, writers and the media to present the situation of refugees and migrants in Poland and the European Union in a reliable and responsible manner, factually and ideologically free. We strongly warn against using them for political games and the growth of xenophobic attitudes. Such conduct runs counter to Christian teaching — they stressed.
According to them, “anti-refugee or anti-immigration narratives not only shape social attitudes but also affect the lives of real people.”
They cautioned that such rhetoric undermines attempts to find responsible, collective answers and diminishes the dignity of refugees and migrants.
They underscored the need, at the European level, to develop fair solidarity projects that evenly share the burden and costs of assistance for those granted asylum or international protection.
Controlled migration processes contribute to a sense of security, in contrast to chaotic migration often driven by smugglers that misleads hopeful individuals seeking decent living conditions.
They urged openness, respect for migrants and refugees, and a commitment to the common good when tackling complex migration problems, especially during election periods.
They acknowledged the necessity of moving beyond a single national perspective and noted that newcomers must respect local culture, religion, law, and safety rules. State policy toward foreigners should clearly define and consistently enforce these rules to prevent future disappointments and hazards.
They recalled the inalienable right of every person to migrate in search of a better life.
One should not fall into the trap of fear, hostility, or resentment toward newcomers, driven by misplaced patriotism or political calculations, particularly because of their faith or origin.
They emphasized that the election campaign tends to heighten political emotions and sharpen public debate. Yet they called for differences of opinion and concern for national prosperity not to spark despair or persistent distrust, as Pope Francis described in the encyclical Fratelli tutti.
Let encounters with newcomers become opportunities for host societies to bridge divides and pursue common good through effective social integration.
They urged Poland to develop policy responses to new, serious challenges, including migration policy principles, protection of migrant workers’ rights, genuine integration mechanisms to avoid ghettoization, ensuring access for migrant children to education, funding Polish language programs, and providing dignified social assistance to those living in Poland under international protection.
Decisions about how these practices are carried out should not be the subject of referendum votes, but the result of prudent action and social dialogue that considers future possibilities and impacts.
Within the church community, the reception of refugees and migrants, their protection, and the creation of opportunities for development and social integration through pastoral structures remain essential tasks of parish life. It is a call to pursue a challenging, practical vision rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ: “I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.”
– the authors of the statement concluded.
tkwl/PAP
READ ALSO:
– QUESTIONNAIRE. Most Poles want to participate in the relocation referendum. Only 6.9% remain unsure.
— A motion for a migration referendum resolution in July. The government spokesman points to the former head of the PKW: “What disturbs these legal elites so much?”
— Appeal from the Episcopal Council on Migrants: We ask for openness and respect. Do not yield to fear, hostility, or resentment
Source: wPolityce