Former Deputy Minister of Justice and Law and Justice (PiS) MP Marcin Romanowski, accused of crimes linked to the Justice Fund, has been granted political asylum in Hungary. Romanowski claims this move confirms alleged political persecution in Poland.
The case, which has outraged Polish society in recent days and sparked an international scandal, has drawn comments from numerous politicians.
Politician accused of corruption granted asylum in Hungary, provoking outrage in Poland
Current Justice Minister Adam Bodnar called the situation unprecedented and pledged to continue efforts to address the misuse of public funds and legal violations.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also commented on Friday, saying "corrupt officials can choose between Lukashenko and Orbán," highlighting the wider impact of the scandal, as we reported earlier on Radio Poland.
Polish politicians' reactions to Romanowski's asylum in Hungary
Romanowski's asylum was commented on by Poland’s Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration, Tomasz Siemoniak, who wrote on X.com: "Today Budapest, tomorrow Moscow."
Siemoniak reiterated these remarks during an interview with TVN24, expressing his surprise that the former deputy minister of justice had sought asylum in Hungary.
He noted that such a situation is unprecedented in Poland. "It’s clear where Hungary stands on the political map of Europe today," the politician emphasized.
According to Siemoniak, this is a very peculiar situation in which the Hungarian government has decided to disregard European regulations and the European Arrest Warrant, even though an independent court has determined that the case is criminal in nature.
Scandal around ex-justice deputy sparks social media buzz
Attorney Roman Giertych, currently supporting the Civic Coalition, described Romanowski’s decision as “Russian asylum.” The phrase quickly gained traction on social media, with users widely adopting the hashtag to discuss various aspects of the scandal involving the former deputy minister of justice.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski sarcastically asks which next supporter of the ruling party will flee to Lake Balaton or Minsk, naming politicians such as Czarnecki, Obajtek, Ziobro, and Morawiecki, each of whom currently faces significant legal issues in Poland.
Romanowski himself chose to speak exclusively with far-right media in Poland and shared an interview on social media, in which he refers to the situation as "lawlessness."
Jarosław Kaczyński, the leader of the national-populist Law and Justice (PiS) party and a supporter of Romanowski, stated in the Polish Parliament on Friday that, in his opinion, Romanowski did not "flee" from justice, but under the current political conditions in Poland, he cannot expect a "fair trial."
Jarosław Kaczyński (photo: PAP/Paweł Supernak)
The National Prosecutor's Office accuses Romanowski, who served as Deputy Minister of Justice from 2019 to 2023, overseeing the Justice Fund, of committing 11 crimes, including participation in a criminal organization and rigging competitions for funding from this fund, specifically by directing employees to select entities that should win grant competitions.
The National Prosecutor's Office has issued a wanted notice for Marcin Romanowski, who is hiding from law enforcement. The 48-year-old man, residing in Warsaw and Gilów, is 180 cm tall with blue eyes; anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to contact the police.
Source: PAP/TVN24/X/@GiertychRoman/@sikorskiradek/FB/MarcinRomanowski
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