Sawicki Claims Romanowski Fell Under FSB Control and Demands PiS Leader Response

Reports that fugitive former deputy minister Marcin Romanowski is hiding in separatist Transnistria have sparked intense political reactions in the Polish Sejm.

PiS Denies Contact and Alleges Disinformation

Reports that wanted Marcin Romanowski is staying in separatist Transnistria—de jure belonging to Moldova—have sparked a wave of comments in the Sejm.

Law and Justice spokesperson Rafał Bochenek stated that he has no contact with the former deputy minister and does not know his whereabouts, suggesting the information about Romanowski’s stay in Tiraspol could be deliberate disinformation and a media plant.

It is worth emphasizing that Romanowski sent a letter from a Transnistrian post office, which was confirmed by the criminal spokesperson for the District Court in Warsaw, Judge Anna Ptaszek.

Accusations of Political Harassment

Bochenek defended his party colleague, claiming the politician is the victim of unjustified harassment and a political witch hunt in which no crimes have yet been proven.

“I know one thing: if he returned to Poland, he could not count on a fair, impartial trial before a Polish court,” assessed the PiS spokesperson, accusing the current ruling coalition of exerting pressure on judges.

Sawicki Alleges FSB Involvement

PSL MP Marek Sawicki interprets the matter quite differently, considering the information extremely dangerous for Law and Justice and suggesting it confirms the party’s pro-Russian ties.

According to the People’s Party politician, sending an official letter to a Polish court from Tiraspol required the interference and consent of local services. “If their leading politician, for many years a deputy minister of justice, places himself under the wings of the FSB—because he wouldn’t have gotten there otherwise—this is something terribly disturbing to me,” Sawicki emphasized, demanding an official reaction from Jarosław Kaczyński.

Border Controls and Correspondence Origins

To reach Russian-backed Transnistria, one must pass separatist-controlled checkpoints from the direction of Chișinău, as Moldova does not control entries because it does not recognize the authorities in Tiraspol, while entry from Ukraine is currently impossible due to the ongoing war.

Marek Sawicki noted that even if Romanowski is physically staying in another country with strong Russian influence, such as the Balkans, the mere mailing of correspondence from Transnistria had to happen with Russian assistance. “He didn’t drop the letter into a mailbox while passing by by chance,” the PSL MP summarized.

Identity Changes and Safe Conduct Request

In the letter, Romanowski commits to personally appearing before Polish law enforcement authorities, provided he is guaranteed to stand trial from a free footing, with an application for a letter of safe conduct for the former deputy justice minister submitted to the court on August 4.

“The sender in the application also asks for the opportunity to exercise his parliamentary mandate,” Judge Ptaszek told us.

In the letter, Romanowski also informed the court that he was issued a passport under a different identity “on a similar basis to crown witnesses, to move freely outside the European Union,” and also uses a false PESEL number.

Charges Tied to the Justice Fund

Marcin Romanowski, a former deputy minister of justice, is alongside Zbigniew Ziobro one of the key figures in the investigation concerning irregularities in the expenditure of funds from the Justice Fund.

Among the 11 charges the prosecutor’s office wants to bring against him are participation in an organized criminal group led by former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, committing official crimes, rigging competitions for Justice Fund money, and misappropriating over PLN 107 million.