Former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro arrived in the United States despite revoked passports, sparking Polish government suspicions of informal American protection and high-level political interference.
Arrival Despite Revoked Passports
Zbigniew Ziobro appeared in the United States despite the annulment of both his diplomatic and civilian passports. In November 2025, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski revoked Ziobro’s diplomatic passport at the request of the National Prosecutor’s Office, followed by the cancellation of his civilian passport to hinder his movement and secure proceedings regarding the Justice Fund.
Despite these measures, Ziobro left Hungary without hindrance and arrived at Newark airport in New Jersey. According to Onet, the Polish government believes the entry could not have occurred without the favor of certain American structures.
Suspicions of American Protection
The situation has created political tension, as Polish services spent months attempting to restrict Ziobro’s ability to leave Europe. An anonymous minister quoted by Onet stated, “We did really a lot to prevent his escape. But if our ally protects him…”
Diplomatic Pressures and Lobbying
While US Ambassador Tom Rose had previously signaled that Americans were not interested in accepting the former minister, the situation reportedly shifted following actions by former ruling camp associates. Patrycja Kotecka and former TVP president Jacek Kurski are mentioned as having lobbied for Ziobro’s travel.
Simultaneously, PiS politicians Adam Bielan and Tomasz Szatkowski visited Washington. Onet reports they criticized the current Polish government and framed the investigation against Ziobro as a political vendetta.
The Hungarian Connection
Until recently, Ziobro benefited from international protection provided by Viktor Orbán’s government. However, this changed following a political breakthrough in Budapest and the rise of Peter Magyar, who suggested the possibility of extraditing PiS politicians pursued by the Polish justice system.
Journalist Visa Controversy
Additional controversy surrounds the documents used for entry. Unofficial information from Onet suggests Ziobro may have obtained a journalist visa linked to Telewizja Republika. Tomasz Sakiewicz did not explicitly deny these reports, stating only that the station would address the matter later.
Experts note that losing Polish passports does not always automatically prevent entry if a person holds a previously issued valid visa or documents recognized by border services.
Justice Fund Investigation
Zbigniew Ziobro and his former deputy, Marcin Romanowski, remain primary suspects in the Justice Fund investigation. The prosecution accuses Ziobro of leading an organized criminal group and using his position for criminal activities.
Investigators allege Ziobro committed 26 crimes, including ordering subordinates to break the law and influencing fund competitions to benefit specific entities regardless of formal requirements. In February 2026, the District Court for Warsaw-Mokotów approved temporary arrest, leading to a wanted list and a European Arrest Warrant.