Poland has called on the United States to extradite former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro, who fled to the US from Hungary after that country’s former prime minister, Viktor Orbán, granted him asylum. Polish officials have opened investigations into how Ziobro managed to leave Hungary and enter the United States amid international efforts to detain him.
Ziobro, a key figure in Poland’s previous nationalist-conservative government, faces multiple criminal charges, including allegations of abuse of power and heading a criminal group accused of misappropriating funds meant for victims of violence. Prosecutors allege he used these funds to acquire Israeli Pegasus spyware, purportedly to monitor political opponents. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison. Ziobro denies all charges, labeling them as politically motivated by the current centrist government led by Donald Tusk.
The former minister disclosed his presence in the US on Sunday during an interview with the right-wing Polish broadcaster Republika. He said he had arrived the day before, describing the country as “the strongest democracy in the world.” Reports indicate that Ziobro entered the US using asylum documents granted by Hungary. Republika later announced it had hired him as a political commentator based in the US. Polish media also reported that Ziobro obtained a US journalist visa linked to the broadcaster.
Polish prosecutors confirmed Ziobro had been stripped of both his Polish and diplomatic passports last year. A prosecutor’s office spokesperson noted that since Ziobro lacked valid travel documents, his entry into the US was irregular and that he is actively evading Polish justice. Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski emphasized Warsaw's expectation that allied countries would honor international arrest warrants sought for Ziobro and stressed that fleeing justice is only a temporary measure.
Following Orbán’s departure, Hungary’s new prime minister, Péter Magyar, stated last month that Hungary would no longer provide sanctuary to Ziobro. This shift led to speculation that Poland might soon secure Ziobro’s extradition. However, his arrival in the US has complicated the matter.
Poland’s foreign ministry said it intends to seek clarification from both the United States and Hungary regarding the legal and factual grounds for Ziobro’s departure from Hungarian territory. Meanwhile, reports surfaced that former US President Donald Trump personally intervened in Ziobro’s visa process, reportedly overruling concerns from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose. The US State Department declined to comment on the matter.
The situation highlights ongoing tensions involving Poland, Hungary, and the US amid controversial political and legal developments surrounding Ziobro, a figure whose actions continue to reverberate across international legal and diplomatic spheres.