Hungary has granted political asylum to Poland's former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, who is currently facing multiple charges of embezzlement.
Ziobro is facing 26 charges related to the misuse of funds from a foundation intended to support crime victims and their rehabilitation. He is accused of authorizing the purchase of spyware reportedly used to hack into the phones of political opponents. Ziobro claims he is a victim of political persecution, emphasizing his decision to seek asylum in Hungary.
Asylum for a citizen of a fellow EU member state has raised eyebrows, starkly contradicting EU principles regarding political asylum.
This is not the first instance of a former official seeking refuge in Hungary; Ziobro is the second politician from the previous Justice and Law government to obtain asylum, following his former deputy Michal Romanowski's similar escape last year.
Both leaders have been implicated in corruption allegations, specifically misusing resources from a state-controlled foundation to support their political party.
Ziobro served as justice minister from 2015 to 2023 under the right-wing PiS-led government, aligning closely with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's political views.
If convicted of embezzlement, Ziobro faces a potential prison sentence of up to 25 years.
In a statement posted on X, he mentioned, I have decided to accept the asylum granted to me by the government of Hungary due to the political persecution in Poland. He further described his struggle against what he termed as political banditry and a creeping dictatorship.
Among the specific misdeeds he faces, Ziobro is accused of approving a substantial purchase of Israeli-made Pegasus spyware, believed to have been misused against political rivals, including current officials.
As justice minister, his reforms led to significant disputes with the European Union, resulting in halted EU funds for Poland and various legal rulings against him.
This asylum request aligns with Orban's portrayal of Hungary as a stronghold against EU overreach. The situation poses significant implications for EU-Hungary relations, especially regarding how political asylum is administered within the union.
