GRANADA, Spain- Poland and Hungary have blocked a symbolic European Union statement regarding migration, emphasizing their opposition to new EU laws that could impose fines on countries refusing to host Middle Eastern and African arrivals.

Despite this opposition, 22 out of 27 EU member countries agreed this week on a plan to handle irregular immigration during periods of high arrivals. The European Parliament will further negotiate this agreement.

The move by Poland and Hungary, while largely symbolic, raises concerns about the effectiveness of the EU's migration pact. European Parliament head Roberta Metsola emphasized the importance of addressing citizens' concerns about migration and not derailing the pact before its adoption.

The EU has been grappling with migration issues since the unexpected arrival of over a million people, mainly from Syria, in 2015. This crisis strained the bloc's unity, triggering disputes over burden-sharing and border controls.

Germany, in response to increasing irregular arrivals, introduced border checks with its EU neighbors.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz highlighted the need for countries to register and properly host refugees and migrants on their soil instead of letting them cross into Germany unchecked.

The disagreement over migration continues to challenge the EU's unity, with no easy solutions in sight as regional elections in Germany, a national vote in Poland, and a continent-wide parliamentary ballot approach.