Former Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Zybro, who is wanted in his country on multiple criminal charges, has fled Hungary for the United States, he confirmed on Sunday, after the government of former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban granted him asylum last year. The Guardian reports.
"I'm in the United States," Zjobro told right-wing Polish television station Republika. "I arrived yesterday and this is my third time traveling around the country," he said.
Zjobr faces up to 25 years in prison in Poland if convicted on charges including abuse of office, leading an organized crime group and using funds intended for crime victims to purchase Israeli spyware Pegasus, allegedly to monitor political opponents.
He has denied the charges against him, accusing the centrist Polish government of conducting a witch hunt against conservatives.
After Orban's party was ousted from power in elections in April, Hungary's new Prime Minister Peter Magyar — who was sworn in on Saturday — said Hungary would no longer protect people wanted in other countries.
"Hungary will no longer be a dumping ground for internationally wanted criminals," he told reporters the day after his victory, citing as examples Zjobr and his former deputy Marcin Romanovsky, suspected of embezzling almost 40 million euros, or $47 million.
Television Republika reported earlier on Sunday that Zjobro was in the US, while liberal television station TVN24 published a photo of Zjobro at Newark Liberty International Airport, which it said was taken by another passenger.
It is unclear how Zjobro managed to travel to the US, as Poland previously said his travel documents — including his Polish and diplomatic passports — had been revoked.
Local portal Onet reported that Zjobro had been granted a US journalist visa linked to Republika TV. The TV station, close to the Polish right, later announced that it had hired the former justice minister as a political commentator in the US.
Current Polish Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek wrote on the X platform that Poland would "ask questions to the US and Hungary about the legal basis that allowed Zbigniew Zyobr to... enter the United States despite not having valid documents."
"We will not give up on our efforts to hold him and Mr. Marcin Romanowski accountable before the Polish judiciary," he said.
Earlier, Žurek told Polsat television: "If it is confirmed that Zjobro is in the US, then Poland will request his extradition."
Zjobro was the leader of the ultraconservative Sovereign Poland party, a junior coalition partner of the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, and served as Minister of Justice and State Prosecutor from 2015 to 2023.
He is also known as the architect of controversial judicial reforms, which caused a stalemate in relations between Poland and the European Commission.
Asked on Republika TV about possible extradition, Zjobro replied: "I am ready to appear before any court, and an American independent court is certainly an independent court."
"If they want to initiate extradition proceedings, go ahead," he added, calling extradition proceedings before US courts "a demanding procedure."
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