Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek announced that Poland will seek the extradition of Zbigniew Ziobro if reports of his flight to the United States are officially confirmed.
Reports of Ziobro’s Arrival in the US
TV Republika first reported on Sunday, May 10, that Zbigniew Ziobro had traveled to the United States. TVN24 also published a viewer-submitted photo allegedly showing Ziobro at Newark Airport in New Jersey on Saturday.
Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek stated that authorities must determine if the US is Ziobro’s final destination or merely a transit point, noting that official information is expected soon.
Extradition Plans and Travel Documents
Minister Żurek confirmed that Poland will request extradition once Ziobro’s presence in the US is confirmed. He noted that the government is taking all necessary steps to bring the fugitive before an independent Polish court.
The Minister questioned how Ziobro traveled since his passports were invalidated. He suggested Ziobro might be using a “Geneva passport” issued to refugees or may have entered the US on a journalist’s visa with media assistance.
Diplomatic Issues and Hungarian Involvement
Żurek revealed that Hungarian authorities provided only brief, one-sentence responses stating they were acting according to the law, which he interpreted as a refusal to provide further information. He added that Ziobro seemed well-prepared for his escape from Hungary.
The Minister also expressed concern over whether political parties in Poland assisted Ziobro in evading justice, noting a contradiction between Poland’s alliance with Hungary and actions that may have facilitated the flight.
Official Statement from the National Prosecutor’s Office
The National Prosecutor’s Office issued a statement asserting that they currently lack data confirming Ziobro’s departure from the Schengen area, though all information is being verified.
The office emphasized that regardless of Ziobro’s location, prosecutors will utilize all legal means under Polish and international law to bring the suspect back to Poland to face charges.
Allegations of Presidential Intervention
According to “Wyborcza,” President Donald Trump personally decided to grant Ziobro a US visa, reportedly overriding the objections of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Ambassador Tom Rose.
Additionally, reports indicate that Marcin Romanowski remains in hiding. Jacek Karnowski of w Polsce24 suggested that Romanowski is likely no longer in Hungary, as he has disappeared from the media and lost contact.