English Section

Poland weighs EU legal action over Hungary's asylum for ex-minister Ziobro

13.02.2026 15:50
Poland’s Justice Ministry is preparing a possible complaint to the EU Court of Justice over Hungary granting asylum to former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro.
Polish former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro at a press conference in September 2023.
Polish former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro at a press conference in September 2023.Photo: Courtesy of the Ministry of Justice press office.

Officals are consulting with the foreign ministry’s legal department on the case, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Bosacki.

Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek said in January he did not rule out filing the complaint, though he wanted first to see documentation confirming the asylum had been granted.

Ziobro, who served as Poland's justice minister under the previous right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) government, faces 26 criminal charges, related to alleged misuse of the Justice Fund, a state programme intended to support crime victims.

He is accused of leading an organised criminal group, manipulating competitive grant processes and directing illegal transfers totalling PLN 39 million (EUR 9.26 million) for surveillance software and prosecution office renovations.

Ziobro's lawyer announced on 12 January that his client had received asylum in Hungary.

A Warsaw court approved a pre-trial detention order for the former minister on 5 February.

Prosecutors have since issued an arrest warrant and applied for a European Arrest Warrant.

EU's legal limits

Bosacki noted that the European Union "is not a federation" and that national governments ultimately decide whether to prosecute or extradite individuals.

He said Poland had given Hungary a "clear message" of dissatisfaction, but no senior Polish official had spoken with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in recent weeks

The deputy foreign minister acknowledged the EU's limited enforcement powers, saying no country can be compelled to extradite someone if its government refuses.

(ał)

Source: PAP