As the election nears, Polish PM warns of ‘Islamic fighters’ among migrants.

On Thursday, Poland’s prime minister claimed that refugees affected by the violence in Israel would include Islamic jihadists to bolster its reputation as anti-immigrant before a national election.

Migration is central to the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party’s effort to secure a third term in government on October 15.

Mateusz Morawiecki stated at a news conference that “this great wave of migration will bring Islamic fighters, terrorists, and thousands of young men to Europe.”

Poland and Hungary’s neighbor have challenged a European Union agreement for a quota system between member states for moving illegal migrants, who have been entering Europe in greater numbers.

In a referendum that will be held concurrently with the election, voters will be requested to express their opinions on that system.

The opposition would tear down a barrier on the border with Belarus and accept migrant quotas, according to PiS, which has framed the election as a choice between a government dedicated to curbing illegal immigration and the opposition.

While the European Commission has refuted Warsaw’s allegation that it would be obliged to accept more migrants under the new guidelines, claiming Poland would be excluded owing to the enormous number of Ukrainian refugees in the nation, opposition parties have stated that they would not tear down the fence.

The opposition has also questioned whether PiS is as strict on immigration as it claims to be, pointing to a rise in immigration from outside of Europe when it was in power and a scandal involving the payment of visas in cash.

According to opposition parties, the government was involved in a scheme wherein migrants acquired permits quickly and without adequate inspections after paying intermediaries.

According to PiS, the scope of the issue has been inflated, and its roots go back to the opposition’s rule.