Relations between Poland and Hungary have experienced a notable downturn following the change in the Polish government in December 2023. The administration led by Donald Tusk is focused on restoring Poland’s relationships with the European Union, which had been significantly compromised by the previous nationalist Law and Justice Party (PiS) due to violations of the rule of law.
The situation further deteriorated when Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán extended protection to two former Polish ministers who are currently sought by Polish authorities. Orbán granted political asylum to former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro and his former deputy, Marcin Romanowski. However, before his electoral victory, Prime Minister Péter Magyar had indicated that he would refuse to welcome individuals fleeing legal accountability into Hungary.
Ziobro faces serious allegations, including abuse of power and misappropriation of funds. These charges pertain to the inappropriate use of a fund intended for victims of violence, which was reportedly redirected to acquire Israeli Pegasus surveillance software for targeting political opponents.
According to Anna Adamiak, spokesperson for the General Prosecutor’s Office, an estimated 150 million zloty has been misappropriated from the Justice Fund. Prosecutors are pursuing Ziobro’s arrest on charges that carry a potential maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. Serving as both the justice minister and prosecutor general from 2015 to 2023 under the PiS, Ziobro was among the most influential persons during the PiS governments. Romanowski has been accused of manipulating competitions for substantial grants from the Justice Fund.
Recently, unofficial reports from Telewizja Republika suggested that former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro has departed Hungary and is currently residing in the United States. He was reportedly seen at Newark Liberty International Airport on Saturday, as confirmed by Polish private broadcaster TVN24. This information was confirmed by Polish Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek, who indicated that Warsaw would formally request the extradition of the former minister. Furthermore, reports indicate that Marcin Romanowski vacated his apartment in Budapest at the end of April, shortly following the significant electoral defeat of his political ally.
