Przemysław Nowak, spokesman for the National Public Prosecutor’s Office, made the announcement after Polish lawmakers last Friday voted to lift Ziobro’s immunity, clearing the way for his detention and arrest.
Prosecutors plan to charge him with 26 offences related to alleged abuse and mismanagement of the Justice Fund, a state programme intended to support crime victims.
Nowak told reporters authorities were unable to detain Ziobro "because he is currently in Hungary."
The prosecution service's motion seeks a three-month detention, citing three main reasons: the risk of flight, possible witness tampering, and the severity of potential penalties, which could reach up to 25 years in prison for some of the charges.
Prosecutors allege Ziobro headed an organised criminal group that misused money from the Justice Fund to purchase the Pegasus spyware system for use against political opponents, among other charges.
Investigators say Ziobro's staying abroad raises concerns he may attempt to evade justice. They also cited his previous public statements as evidence that he could seek to obstruct the investigation.
Nowak said prosecutors would waive the request for detention if Ziobro’s health prevents imprisonment. The former minister says he is still undergoing treatment for cancer after a recent operation, but prosecutors said current evidence suggests he is fit to take part in legal proceedings.
If detained, Ziobro would first be examined by a doctor to assess whether his health allows him to remain in custody, Nowak said.
He added there were no grounds to question Ziobro abroad, despite the former minister’s earlier declarations that he was willing to testify at a Polish consulate in the Belgian capital Brussels or the Hungarian capital Budapest, a move that would allow him to avoid pre-trial detention.
Ziobro, who served as justice minister and prosecutor general from 2015 to 2023, was a key figure in the previous conservative government led by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
Politicians and analysts have said Ziobro may be tempted to follow the example of one of his deputies, Marcin Romanowski, in asking for political asylum in Hungary.
Ziobro has denied wrongdoing and described the allegations as "absurd" and "politically motivated."
He insists the allegations against him are part of a witch hunt orchestrated by the government in revenge for actions he took targeting suspected corruption among people close to Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Zbigniew Ziobro. Photo: PAP/Art Service
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who had close ties to Poland's former right-wing administration, met Ziobro last month in Budapest and accused the current Tusk government of launching a "political witch hunt" against Ziobro, the Reuters news agency reported.
(gs)
Source: TVP Info, IAR, PAP, Reuters