Brexit caused by EU problems being ‘swept under carpet’: Polish PM

"The result of the British referendum is primarily a result of the crises which have been taking place in the EU for some time, and which have not been resolved," Szydło told a press conference.

"They could not be solved by European politicians, and were simply swept under the carpet."

She added: “Today should primarily be a day of reflection on which direction the European Union is heading, and what decisions it should take, so that, above all, it can build its own future; thinking of Europe, European nations, and Europeans."

Szydło said she hoped next week’s EU summit, which Poland will attend, will be able to come up with a solution on how to move forward.

New treaty?

The head of Poland's governing conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, Jarosław Kaczyński, said that the EU needs a new treaty.

“The European Union needs reform, this would be a positive response to the Brexit, which can also in turn become an offer for Britain,” Kaczyński said, adding that the remaining EU members should work on developing a "new European treaty".

In a referendum on Thursday, 51.9% of Britons voted to leave the EU while 48.1% voted to stay, a result that dealt a body blow to the European Union and caused turmoil on global markets.