The Polish Supreme Court will issue its ruling on former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro’s case today, after prosecutors sought a 26‑charge indictment and a three‑month pre‑trial detention.
Prosecutors Push for Arrest and 26‑Charge Indictment
Prosecutors have demanded that Zbigniew Ziobro be arrested and are pursuing 26 criminal charges associated with alleged irregularities in the Justice Fund.
They seek a three‑month pre‑trial detention. In early November, the Sejm removed his parliamentary immunity and authorized his arrest. The likelihood of the former minister appearing in court is virtually nil. A few days ago, the Masovian voivode, at the prosecutor’s request, annulled his passport.
Allegations of Power Abuse and Contract Mismanagement
Investigators claim Ziobro exceeded his authority, neglected duties, manually controlled contests, permitted unauthorized individuals to award contracts, tolerated funding for organizations lacking formal compliance, and concealed documents. These actions were said to pursue political and property gains, infringing on public interest.
Since November, Ziobro has been based in Budapest, while his former deputy Marcin Romanowski, facing similar accusations, is concealed in Hungary. Speculation suggests, as with Romanowski, that Ziobro may seek political asylum from Viktor Orbán. According to right‑wing press, he is currently in Brussels and intends to spend the holidays there.
Ziobro Claims Political Targeting and Demands Judicial Reform
Zbigniew Ziobro maintains that the charges are politically motivated by the ruling elite. In early December, the PiS politician issued a remote statement pledging to appear in Poland within hours if cases are randomly assigned to judges.
His conditions include the reinstatement of illegally dismissed court presidents, removal of criminal division judges unjustly suspended, and the restoration of lawful authority within the prosecution, including a national prosecutor. Ziobro described his battle against a “caste” within the judiciary, claiming he has both allies and vehement opponents, which, he suggests, facilitates the selection of judges aligned with his government’s views.
Court to Render Ruling Today
The Supreme Court is scheduled to issue its decision on Ziobro’s case today, concluding a process that began with the lifting of his immunity in November.
