Silence in Brussels after Poland says implementing migration pact 'not possible'

Brussels remained conspicuously silent after Poland doubled down on its refusal to implement the Pact on Migration and Asylum, which was once described as a "historical" legislative achievement to allow member states to manage the arrival of asylum seekers in collaboration with each other.

The scene played out in plain view on Wednesday evening, after a meeting of home affairs ministers chaired by the Polish presidency of the European Council.

Tomasz Siemoniak, Poland's Minister of Interior, was asked point blank if his country would comply with the Migration Pact, which consists of five separate but interlinked laws that were painstakingly negotiated in the previous mandate.

Siemoniak, speaking next to Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, said implementing the legislative overhaul "was not possible," citing the previous arguments voiced by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

In early February, Tusk told Ursula von der Leyen, the pact's main proponent, that Poland was in a "particular position" due to the migration flows instrumentalised by Belarus at the Eastern border and the mass arrival of Ukrainians who fled Russia's war.

"Poland will not accept any burdens related to the relocation mechanism. This is not an ideological debate," Tusk said, referring to "huge" migratory pressure.

"If somebody says that Poland is expected to shoulder an additional burden, irrespective of who says that, my response is Poland will not accept an additional burden. Full stop."

The Pact's central pillar is a novel mechanism of "mandatory solidarity" that will give governments three different options: relocate a certain number of asylum seekers, pay a financial contribution or provide operational support, such