During a Saturday press conference, Law and Justice (PiS) leader Jarosław Kaczyński defended Zbigniew Ziobro against criminal allegations, dismissing the legal scrutiny of the Justice Fund as political madness.
The Defense of Zbigniew Ziobro
When questioned about Zbigniew Ziobro’s departure for the United States, Jarosław Kaczyński refrained from addressing the travel plans directly. Instead, he asserted that Ziobro committed no crimes, framing the investigations as a politically motivated double standard used against the opposition.
Kaczyński labeled the application of Article 231 of the Penal Code—regarding abuse of power for personal gain—as nonsense. He argued that if such interpretations were applied strictly, all politicians would face punishment for promoting their own agendas.
Drawing Parallels to 500 Plus
To illustrate his point, the PiS leader pointed to the 500 Plus social program, noting that he personally conceived and pushed the policy through the government. He questioned whether his political advancement resulting from the program should be considered a criminal personal benefit.
Kaczyński characterized current state legal actions as evidence of a “madness” prevailing in Poland, claiming the rule of law is being undermined in an unprecedented manner.
Allegations Regarding the Justice Fund
The Ministry of Justice reported in May 2024 that funds from the Justice Fund were disproportionately allocated to electoral districts where candidates from Sovereign Poland were running. Data shows that in 2019–2023, districts featuring such candidates received an average of 7.7 million PLN, compared to 1.5 million PLN in other areas.
The Ministry noted that the primary beneficiaries of these grants were local fire departments and hospitals, frequently visited by members of the former justice ministry leadership during equipment handover ceremonies.
Status of the Investigation
Zbigniew Ziobro remains a suspect in the Justice Fund investigation, facing allegations of leading an organized criminal group and abuse of office. Prosecutors accuse him of issuing illegal directives to ensure funding for specific entities and interfering in competitive bidding processes.
Ziobro denies the allegations and is currently in the United States. Polish authorities confirm he left Europe in May 2026 using a visa for foreign media representatives, following a period of stay in Hungary where he had been granted international protection.