Hungary revokes asylum for Zbigniew Ziobro and Marcin Romanowski, sought by Poland
Hungary has annulled the asylum status of former Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro and his deputy Marcin Romanowski, both accused of abuse of power and misappropriation of funds.
Budapest revokes protection for former Polish officials accused of corruption
Hungary has revoked the asylum status granted to former Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro and his former deputy Marcin Romanowski, according to Digi24. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski confirmed on Thursday in a social media post that he had received "written confirmation" from the Budapest authorities. The travel documents of the two men have also been annulled.
Sikorski specified that Ziobro's wife, Patrycja Kotecka-Ziobro, has also been stripped of Hungary's protection. "The wheels of justice turn slowly, but they turn," the Polish foreign minister said.
Ziobro, one of the most influential figures in the former administration of the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, is accused of committing 26 offences relating to misappropriation of public funds and abuse of power. Polish investigators contend that he established and ran an "organised criminal group" that misappropriated approximately 150 million zloty — equivalent to 35.4 million euros — from the Justice Fund, a state programme designed to aid victims of crime.
Prosecutors further contend that the funds were directed towards projects of his political allies and that they were used to purchase Israeli spyware Pegasus, subsequently used for surveillance of PiS political rivals. Ziobro denies all accusations and characterises them as politically motivated — a position shared by other former senior figures of the party.
Flight to the USA and extradition request
Ziobro had been living in Hungary since October last year, after the government led by Viktor Orbán — then Prime Minister and an ally of PiS — granted him political asylum. In May, weeks after Orbán's defeat in the Hungarian parliamentary elections, the former minister fled to the United States.
According to international media reports, Ziobro reportedly arrived in the USA with assistance from an official in the administration of President Donald Trump — despite prior warnings transmitted by Warsaw to Washington, requesting that he not be offered assistance, such a move being characterised as "unjustified political interference".
Prosecutor Piotr Woźniak said on Wednesday to the state PAP agency that "an extradition request will be immediately prepared" for Ziobro. At the same time, Polish prosecutors continue to seek a European arrest warrant, arguing that this would be necessary for the detention of the former minister should he return to the territory of the European Union.
Poland's current Justice Minister, Waldemar Żurek, stated to PAP that the ministry will "use all legal means to bring the fugitives to justice in Poland". Żurek announced on Thursday that Warsaw would contact Washington to ask "whether persons lacking valid travel documents can continue to remain on US territory".
Romanowski — location unknown; Ziobro in the USA
The location of Romanowski remains unknown. The press reported, according to PAP, that he was seen in Serbia and Croatia after leaving Budapest at the end of May.
The case could strain relations between Warsaw and Washington. The two capitals have traditionally maintained close ties in the security domain, and Trump is regarded as an ally to both PiS and Orbán. Nevertheless, the American administration maintains a working relationship with the centre government of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Péter Magyar, who was sworn in as Prime Minister of Hungary in May following his victory in the April elections, had previously stated that his new government would find a way to return Ziobro and Romanowski to Poland to answer the accusations. The revocation of asylum represents a concrete first step in this direction.
Source: Digi24