Poland to spend almost 1 mln euros on reconstructing homes in Syria: PM

The Polish government announced plans on Tuesday to spend around four million zloty (one million U.S. dollars) to rebuild homes for Syrian families in Syria.

"We have decided today to implement another project together with the (Church in Need) association," Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said at a press conference.

Szydlo said the overall aim of the humanitarian aid was to help women and children.

Poland earmarked four times more funds for aid in 2016 than in 2015, the prime minister said.

"This year, there will be even more funds," Szydlo stressed.

Funds are to be chiefly directed to Aleppo where 680 apartments have already been selected for repair.

"These people do not want to leave their family homes, these people want to be there, this is their motherland, they need assistance, they want peace, they want to have a normal life," said Szydlo.

Polish interior minister Mariusz Blaszczak agreed that assistance should be offered where Syrians live, adding that the European Union's (EU) compulsory mechanisms regarding relocating migrants and refugees were not a solution.

Although the EU's policy is to accept more migrants in Europe, Blaszczak said that "during our meetings with people from Aleppo, we are told that on-site assistance is what is needed most."

Blaszczak stressed that Poland was helping those in need in Syria. "These are well-spent funds, reaching people exposed to harm. The funds allow them to lead a more or less normal life, to rebuild their homes." Endit