Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo uses Auschwitz speech to defend refugee reticence

The European Commission launched on 14 June 2017 infringement procedures against the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland for non-compliance with their obligations under the 2015 Council Decisions on relocation.

A number of news sources and commentators noted that on the same day that Poland's Prime Minister Beata Szydlo had appeared to use a commemorative speech at the Nazi death camp Auschwitz to defend Poland's opposition to the European Commission policy of refugees quotas. She had said 'In today's troubled times, Auschwitz is a great lesson that everything must be done to defend the safety and the lives of citizens'.

European Council President (and former Prime Minister of Poland) Donald Tusk said 'Such words in such a place should never come from the mouth of the Polish prime minister'.

• Primary Source

Euro|Topics: Debates, June 2017: Outrage at Beata Szydło's Auschwitz speech http://www.eurotopics.net/en/180955/outrage-at-beata-szydo-s-auschwitz-speech

Radio Poland, 16.06.17: Minister: Polish PM's Auschwitz speech taken out of context http://www.thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/311976,Minister-Polish-PMs-Auschwitz-speech-taken-out-of-context

Politico, 14.06.16: Tusk slams Polish PM for Auschwitz comments http://www.politico.eu/article/tusk-slams-polish-pm-for-auschwitz-comments/

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