National Prosecutor’s Office demands Warsaw judge’s exclusion after he previously overturned a European Arrest Warrant for a suspect in the Justice Fund probe.
Previous Ruling
The National Prosecutor’s Office filed a European Arrest Warrant (ENA) request for Zbigniew Ziobro with the Warsaw District Court on February 10. The case was assigned to Judge Dariusz Łubowski, who in December had overturned an ENA for Marcin Romanowski, also a suspect in the Justice Fund investigation.
Prosecutors noted Łubowski had issued an October 23 order supplementing the ENA for Romanowski, indicating he believed “there are grounds to issue an ENA.”
Political Bias Concerns
The prosecutor alleges Łubowski’s ruling on Romanowski contained “a number of politically charged statements and assessments.” Łubowski had emphasized respecting the Hungarian view that Romanowski was politically persecuted in Poland.
Prosecutors fear similar treatment for Ziobro, even if evidence doesn’t support it. They also questioned statements Łubowski made during a National Council of the Judiciary meeting, suggesting they echoed claims by politicians and figures linked to Ziobro.
These concerns are heightened as the Warsaw District Court itself excluded Łubowski from another ENA request for Romanowski on January 12. The prosecutor now demands Łubowski’s removal from Ziobro’s ENA case.
Zbigniew Ziobro Sought
Zbigniew Ziobro is suspected of 26 offenses, including establishing and leading an organized criminal group and misappropriating funds from the Justice Fund. The former justice minister faces up to 25 years in prison. Parliament lifted his parliamentary immunity and authorized his detention and arrest.
However, Ziobro fled to Hungary, where he received political asylum and international protection. His lawyer, Bartosz Lewandowski, stated on January 12 that the Hungarian government believed the case involved politically motivated repression.