Democracy Digest: Is Former Polish Justice Minister Heading Into Budapest Exile?
In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is consolidating control over the media after the country’s largest tabloid, Blikk, was acquired by a pro-government publisher. Meanwhile, in the Czech Republic, a far-right leader has been elected speaker of the lower house. Slovakia is also facing a rise in petty theft following changes to its criminal code.
In Poland, pressure mounts on politicians from the Law and Justice party (PiS), accused of violating rules during their 2015–2023 tenure. On Thursday, the parliamentary affairs committee began discussions on lifting immunity from former justice minister and PiS MP Zbigniew Ziobro over alleged abuses of power, some of which he has mostly acknowledged.
- Ziobro reportedly redirected millions of euros from a crime prevention and victim support fund to the Central Anticorruption Bureau (CBA) to purchase the Pegasus surveillance software.
- In September, Polish police removed Ziobro from a plane and took him to testify before a parliamentary commission investigating Pegasus spyware use under the previous PiS government.
- An indictment was filed in October against Michal Wos, Ziobro's deputy justice minister, related to this issue.
- The National Prosecutor's Office seeks to bring 26 charges against Ziobro.
"The most serious charges allege Ziobro led a criminal group within his ministry that favored entities connected to the justice minister," according to a 158-page document submitted to the parliament speaker, Euronews reported.
This unfolding case illustrates the intensifying scrutiny faced by former PiS officials amid ongoing concerns about corruption and misuse of power.
Author's summary: Former Polish justice minister Ziobro faces serious charges related to abuse of office and misuse of funds, as political pressure mounts on ex-PiS politicians and media control tightens in the region.