Warsaw District Court confirms prosecutor’s European Arrest Warrant for Justice Minister Ziobry assigned to Judge Dariusz Łubowski, who was subsequently removed from his position.
European Arrest Warrant Assigned to Judge Łubowski
The Warsaw District Court has confirmed that the prosecutor’s application for a European Arrest Warrant against Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobry was assigned to Judge Dariusz Łubowski’s department, as reported by Onet citing PAP. Judge Łubowski has handled all cases of this nature so far. He was also the judge who, in December of last year, annulled the ENA issued against Marcin Romanowski.
Judge Łubowski Removed from Position
On the same day, Judge Łubowski was dismissed from his position as head of the International Proceedings Section for Criminal Law and International Relations at the Warsaw District Court, according to Onet citing PAP. The head of the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS) also mentioned this in an X post, stating that by speaking the truth in KRS, Judge Łubowski exposed himself to harassment. His replacement was Judge T. Grochowicz.
Political Implications and Concerns
According to the KRS head, reports suggest that an application for an ENA against Zbigniew Ziobry was submitted to the Warsaw District Court at the same time. Decisions in the matter are reportedly being made by a retired judge who cannot hold the position of president. Legal expert Waldemar Żurek commented on the case in an interview with Monika Olejnik on TVN24, stating that the prosecutor will “100%” apply for Judge Łubowski’s recusal due to what he described as a “political manifesto” in the justification of the Romanowski case.
Structural Concerns Raised
Żurek also raised concerns about the structure of the court, noting that Judge Łubowski’s department was “one-person,” which he argued is inappropriate for a court in the capital that handles all such cases. He pointed out that the court has taken what he perceives as a political stance in its justification and expressed hope that the judge, whom he believes crossed certain lines in his previous ruling, may not remain impartial in the Ziobry case.
