Poland Summons Hungarian Ambassador, Describes Hungary's Granting of Asylum to Polish MP Under Investigation as 'Hostile Act'

The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called Hungary's granting of political asylum to a Polish MP wanted in his home country a ‘hostile act’. In this regard, the Hungarian ambassador was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This was reported on social media by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its head, Radoslaw Sikorski.

The ministry regarded the decision of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government to grant political asylum to Marcin Romanowski, who is wanted on a European arrest warrant, as an act that is unfriendly to the Republic of Poland and contrary to the basic principles binding on the European Union member states.

The justification of this decision by alleged political persecution is offensive to citizens and the Polish authorities, the Polish Foreign Ministry said.

‘In response to such actions, the Hungarian ambassador to Poland will be summoned to the Foreign Ministry today to receive an official protest from the Polish side on this matter,’ the statement said.

At the same time, the Foreign Minister decided to summon Polish Ambassador to Hungary Sebastian Kęcik to Warsaw for consultations.

‘We would like to point out that the granting of international protection in any EU member state does not exempt that country from the obligation to execute a European arrest warrant,’ the Polish Foreign Ministry said.

If Hungary fails to fulfil its European obligations, Poland promises to ask the European Commission to initiate proceedings against Hungary in accordance with Article 259 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

In July 2024, former deputy minister, now a Law and Justice MP, Marcin Romanowski, was detained as part of an investigation into possible mismanagement of funds in the Justice Fund. Romanowski disappeared in early December after allegedly receiving medical treatment.

However, on the day that the District Court in Warsaw issued a European arrest warrant for the former Polish official, it became known that he was under the protection of the Hungarian authorities.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban reminded Poland of the deteriorating relations between the two countries, commenting on the decision to grant asylum to the former Polish deputy minister.