Polish Court Blocks EU Arrest Warrant for Ex-Justice Minister
A Warsaw court rejected a European Arrest Warrant for former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, now in the U.S., citing prosecutors' failure to prove he resides in the EU.
According to Brussels Signal, the court ruled that prosecutors failed to prove Ziobro was currently residing in the European Union or had any plans to travel to an EU member state, making the warrant request invalid.
The former minister has been working as a commentator for Polish conservative broadcaster TV Republika since early May, having traveled to America from Budapest where he had received asylum and travel documents from the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
US State Department Assistance
Ziobro reportedly received help from a State Department official to enter the United States, a move that prompted anger from Warsaw. The Tusk government had previously warned Washington against assisting the former minister, calling any such action undue political interference in Polish affairs.
Polish prosecutors had argued that a European Arrest Warrant was necessary to detain Ziobro if he returned to EU territory, despite his current residence in America. The court rejected this reasoning on July 13, dealing a setback to the government’s pursuit of the former PiS party official.
Flight Through Hungary
A nationwide arrest warrant was issued for Ziobro in February after a Polish court ordered his pre-trial detention. He left Poland for Hungary just before the Tusk-supporting parliamentary majority voted to strip his immunity from prosecution.
Ziobro departed Hungary after incoming Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar publicly stated he would revoke the former minister’s asylum status and return him to Poland. Magyar viewed this as an opportunity to repair relations with the Tusk government, which had withdrawn its ambassador from Budapest in retaliation for Orban’s decision to grant Ziobro protection.
In late June, the Magyar administration followed through on its promise, invalidating Ziobro’s Hungarian travel documents. By then, however, he had already obtained a US visa and relocated to America.
Warsaw Pushes for Deportation
Polish Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek told state news agency PAP that his ministry would use all legal means to bring fugitives to justice. He announced on social media that Warsaw would contact Washington to inquire whether individuals without valid travel documents could continue residing on US territory.
The Tusk government has submitted thousands of pages of evidence against Ziobro to American authorities, as Brussels Signal reports. However, the Polish court’s refusal to issue a European Arrest Warrant significantly weakens Warsaw’s case for deportation. The United States rarely grants deportation orders against individuals its government has granted shelter.
Trump Administration Alignment
Poland has expressed displeasure with President Donald Trump‘s administration for assisting Ziobro, though the move should not have come as a surprise. The opposition PiS party maintains close alignment with the Trump administration, which views Prime Minister Tusk unfavorably after his remarks characterizing Trump as a Russian asset.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki, who is aligned with PiS, has made staying on good terms with Trump a priority. While Nawrocki stated he would not have chosen to leave Poland as Ziobro did, he also said the case against the former minister appeared politically vindictive and expressed doubt that Ziobro would receive a fair trial in Poland.
PiS colleagues have acknowledged that Ziobro’s departure creates a negative impression that opponents interpret as an admission of guilt, though they maintain the prosecution is politically motivated.
With information from Brussels Signal
