Warsaw court postpones hearing on arrest warrant for former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro until February 5.
Court Hearing Postponed
On Thursday (January 15), the District Court for Warsaw-Mokotów postponed the hearing on the arrest warrant for Zbigniew Ziobro until February 5. The prosecutor’s office requested this measure, which the Sejm had previously approved. Investigators want to present the former Minister of Justice with 26 charges, including heading an organized criminal group that allegedly embezzled money from the Fundusz Sprawiedliwości (Justice Fund). Zbigniew Ziobro is currently in Hungary, where the authorities have granted the PiS MP political asylum.
Justice Minister Responds
Waldemar Żurek commented on the postponement: “Let’s patiently wait for the court’s decision. After eight years of directing the justice ministry by Z. Ziobro, all citizens, including the deputy himself, must wait a long time for their cases to be resolved, as he is practically taking full advantage of his rights to defense.” He added, “We must reform the system so as to significantly shorten the time for waiting for court decisions and verdicts. Simply for justice.”
Opposition Criticism
Former MP Stefan Niesiołowski also commented on the matter: “A circus with the arrest of Ziobro is underway. The case is being postponed, and the district court is setting a new date. This is mockery and playing for time. Ziobro is responsible for destroying the rule of law, corruption, an 8-year regime, and he’s babbling about persecution. When will this vile, corrupt coward finally end up in a cell?” he asked.
Hungary’s Position
Several days ago, Zbigniew Ziobro announced that he had received political asylum from the Hungarian government. “I choose to fight against political banditry and lawlessness. I resist the growing dictatorship. I do this in the name of the principles by which I have always been guided and for which I have become today a target of personal revenge from Donald Tusk and his environment,” wrote the PiS MP. Meanwhile, Hungary’s main opposition party issued a brief statement: “Under the rule of the TISZA party, Hungary will no longer be a refuge for foreign criminals.”
