Poland’s former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, wanted on several criminal charges in his country, has fled Hungary to the United States, he confirmed Sunday, following local media reports.
“I’m in the United States,” Ziobro told right-wing broadcaster Republika. “I arrived yesterday and this is my third time traveling around the country,” he added.
Ziobro, who was granted asylum by the government of right-wing ally Viktor Orbán last year, faces up to 25 years in prison in Poland if convicted of the charges against him.
They include abuse of power, leading an organized criminal enterprise and using funds meant for victims of crime to buy Israeli Pegasus spyware, allegedly to monitor political opponents.
After Orbán’s party was ousted from power in elections in April, Hungary’s new prime minister Péter Magyar – who was sworn in on Saturday – said Hungary would no longer protect people wanted elsewhere.
“Hungary will no longer be a repository for internationally wanted criminals,” he told reporters a day after his victory, citing as examples Ziobro and his former deputy, Marcin Romanowski, suspected of embezzling nearly 40 million euros ($47 million).
Broadcaster Republika reported earlier Sunday that Ziobro was in the US, while liberal broadcaster TVN24 released a photo of Ziobro at Newark Liberty International Airport, which it said was taken by another traveler.
It is unclear how Ziobro managed to travel to the United States, as Poland had previously said his travel documents – including his Polish and diplomatic passports – had been revoked.
Local news site Onet reported that Ziobro had obtained a US journalist visa linked to the Republic. The broadcaster, linked to the Polish right, later announced that it had hired the former justice minister as its political commentator in the US.
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Poland to contact USA
Current Polish Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek wrote in X that Poland “will turn to the US and Hungary with questions about the legal basis that allowed Zbigniew Ziobro … to enter the United States despite the lack of valid documents.”
“We will not stop trying to ensure that he and Mr. Marcin Romanowski are held accountable before the Polish justice system,” he said.
Earlier, Zurek told broadcaster Polsat: “If it is confirmed that Ziobro is in the US, then (Poland) will request his extradition.”
Ziobro was the leader of the ultra-conservative Sovereign Poland party, a junior coalition partner of the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, and served as justice minister and prosecutor general between 2015 and 2023.
He is also known as the architect of controversial judicial reforms that caused a clash between Poland and the European Commission.
Asked by the Republic about his possible extradition, Ziobro replied: “I am ready to appear before any court, and an independent American court is certainly an independent court.
“If they want to start extradition proceedings, by all means,” he added, calling extradition cases in US courts “a demanding procedure.”
He has rejected the allegations against him, accusing the Polish central government of conducting a witch hunt against conservatives.
(cz)
