Former Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro (PiS) has denied reports that he applied for political asylum in Hungary. In an interview with wPolityce.pl, Ziobro stated “I have not submitted any applications, any documents, in this matter, anywhere, in any country.”
Speculation about Ziobro fleeing to Hungary arose after the former minister was seen in Budapest on October 27th, attending a screening of the documentary Taking Over at the Uránia arthouse cinema. The film documents the illegal occupation of the Polish public broadcaster’s headquarters and the removal of journalists working there in December 2023, after Donald Tusk’s government entered office. The next day, Poland’s newly established National Prosecutor’s Office requested that Sejm lift Ziobro’s legal immunity, paving the way for possible prosecution.
The move follows the latest escalation of Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s political crackdown on conservative figures. As we previously reported, prosecutors have accused Ziobro of 26 alleged crimes, including leading a “criminal group” and misusing 150 million zloty (around €35 million) from the Justice Fund.
Authorities are seeking Ziobro’s arrest and pretrial detention, claiming a risk of obstruction of justice. Two of his former deputies, Michał Woś and Marcin Romanowski, have also been charged. Romanowski fled to Hungary, where he was granted political asylum after Budapest concluded that he could not receive a fair trial in Poland.
On Thursday, October 30th, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on X he met Zbigniew Ziobro in Budapest. In his post headlined “Justice for Poland!”, Orbán declared that since the “tremendous victory” of the Polish Right in the presidential election, Brussels “has launched a witch hunt” against conservatives. The PM added now the Polish government want to arrest Ziobro, describing these developments as “absurd.”
