The Polish president called it strange that the politician who was granted asylum in Hungary is being rounded up by the Polish authorities "as if he were the highest caliber criminal and evildoer".

It is understandable that the Hungarian authorities doubt the legality of the legal proceedings in Poland against the Polish opposition representative and former deputy justice minister Marcin Romanowski, Polish President Andrzej Duda said on a commercial radio station on Monday.

During the interview covering several topics, the Polish head of state was also asked about the case of Marcin Romanowski, who was granted asylum in Hungary, against whom the Warsaw District Court issued a European arrest warrant last week. Andrzej Duda called it strange that the politician is being rounded up by the Polish authorities "as if he were a criminal of the highest caliber."

We should also analyze and look into why the Hungarian authorities decided to grant the right of asylum - continued Duda. He pointed out: Romanowski submitted a voluminous, "well-founded" asylum application.

If, in his asylum application, the opposition representative referred to the replacement of former Polish state prosecutor Dariusz Barski, as well as the fact that his successor was appointed on the basis of a prime minister's decree, "that is, on the basis of something that does not exist in the legal sense", then "it is no wonder that the Hungarians doubt, representative Romanowski I wonder whether (in Poland) they are treating him in accordance with the principles of the rule of law or not," said Duda.

The president also criticized the current situation of the Polish justice system in a broader sense, which, according to him, arose as a result of "the rebellion of legal circles that doubt everything" in recent years. He judged that some circles in Poland did not like the judicial reform launched during the previous government led by Law and Justice (PiS), despite the fact that (as Duda said) it began to be implemented in accordance with all parliamentary and constitutional procedures.

Romanowski held the position of Deputy Minister of Justice in the government led by the PiS party between 2019-2023. In this capacity, he oversaw the Justice Fund operating within the ministry, the purpose of which was to provide assistance to victims of crimes.

In the case of the Justice Fund, Romanowski was suspected of committing an eighteen-degree crime, including participation in an organized criminal group that caused damage to state property.

The politician considers the prosecution proceedings against him to be illegal and the decision of the Sejm to suspend the parliamentary immunity is invalid.

In connection with the Justice Fund, 23 people are currently being prosecuted, and according to the announcement of the Ministry of Justice in Warsaw last week, they plan to "detain and suspect many more people".

MTI

Cover image: Polish President Andrzej Duda
Source: MTI/EPA-PAP/Lukas Gagulski