Authorities Face Hurdles in Bringing Back Romanowski From Transnistria

Former Deputy Minister of Justice Marcin Romanowski has applied for a safe conduct letter from Transnistria, prompting Polish officials to warn that their operational reach in the breakaway region is heavily restricted.

Application Sent From Transnistria

In recent days, an application for a safe conduct letter from former Deputy Minister of Justice and PiS MP Marcin Romanowski was submitted to the Regional Court in Warsaw. The document was mailed from Tiraspol in Transnistria, a breakaway region of Moldova that is not recognized as a state.

Romanowski stated that he would appear in court or before the prosecutor’s office on the condition that he is tried as a free person. The PiS MP also reported that he legally holds a passport issued under a different identity, similar to crown witnesses, to move freely outside the European Union.

“I confirm the fact that my client submitted an application for a safe conduct letter and filed a statement regarding his stay outside the territory of the European Union. The National Prosecutor’s Office has Marcin Romanowski’s correspondence address and my client’s statement,” conveyed Bartosz Lewandowski, the legal counsel for the PiS politician.

Diplomatic and Security Challenges

Asked in TOK FM what Polish diplomacy can do in this situation, Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Bosacki responded that we cannot really demand extradition from authorities with whom we have no formal contacts. He noted that while a demand could be sent to Moldova, the country lacks the capability to apprehend individuals in Transnistria, an area protected by Russian forces.

Minister Coordinator of Special Services Tomasz Siemoniak noted that the area is under Russian control, where European arrest warrant standards do not apply. Consequently, Polish services, the prosecutor’s office, and the police are turning to partner services in Moldova, while warning against granting premature credence to Romanowski, whom he described as a fugitive.

Political Reactions and Allegations

Krzysztof Szczucki, an MP from the Rozwój Plus club and until recently a PiS MP, commented that if Romanowski’s presence in Transnistria is confirmed, it would be a situation that discredits a person in public life. He added that if state services cannot determine the whereabouts of a notable citizen of interest for months, he doubts the state’s effectiveness.

Former Deputy Minister of Justice Marcin Romanowski faces charges in an investigation regarding irregularities in the Justice Fund. The prosecutor accuses him of participating in an organized criminal group and rigging competitions for funds from the Justice Fund, among other offenses. Marcin Romanowski does not plead guilty.