Hungary recently granted political asylum to Marcin Romanowski, who served as deputy minister of justice in the previous Polish government under the Law and Justice (PiS) party. Romanowski, who currently has a European warrant out for his arrest, has been charged by Polish prosecutors, reportedly aligned with the Tusk government, with allegedly committing eleven crimes
Romanowski had, according to the prosecution, misused public funds. If proven guilty, he certainly deserves punishment. However, there is good reason to believe this is a politically motivated witch hunt. Such suspicions are rooted in the approach to rule of law of the new Polish government under Donald Tusk, which came to power just a year ago.
Upon taking office with Brussels's support, Tusk's leftist-liberal government attacked Poland's public media, including television, radio, and the state news agency. One of the first moves by the minister of Culture and National Heritage was to replace the heads of these institutions and appoint new supervisory boards.
These drastic media reforms were enforced not only through administrative measures but also by physical intervention, with sizable men going in and forcibly removing undesired employees from public television offices. Even more egregious, Tusk's government ordered the arrest of politicians who had been pardoned by the Polish president, detaining them at the Presidential Palace. It is this same government that now seeks to prosecute Marcin Romanowski, who has stated he prefers to defend himself against what he considers baseless accusations while on Hungarian soil.
Andrzej Szejna, deputy foreign minister of Poland's leftist government, which is far from friendly toward Hungary, has accused Hungary of violating EU principles by disregarding the mutual respect among member states. While Hungary acknowledges the legal validity of the European arrest warrant, it views the case differently than the Polish Foreign Ministry. Many in Hungary believe Romanowski would not receive fair treatment in Poland, a view reinforced by the unjust actions of the Tusk government. Minister Gergely Gulyas, head of the Hungarian Prime Minister's Office, stated that the decision to grant asylum is in line with both Hungarian and EU laws, however Poland intends to pursue its case before the European Court of Justice.
Unsurprisingly, the European Commission, led by Ursula von der Leyen, has immediately sided with Comrade Tusk and company. The Brussels Signal promptly reported that Hungary could face sanctions and legal action if it fails to comply with Poland's extradition request within the 60 days demanded by the Commission.
While drawing comparisons to World War II politics may be excessive, I can't help remembering that we were then in a forced alliance with Hitler's Germany, following the earlier forced peace of 1920. We were not on the same side as the Poles because of political conflicts of interest, but we have never forgotten our many centuries of historical friendship. Despite political divisions during the war, Hungary provided refuge to Polish civilians and soldiers fleeing Nazi and Soviet forces after Poland's invasion in September 1939. The flight to our homeland was greatly facilitated by the re-annexation of Transcarpathia in March 1939, once again giving us a shared, common border with the Poles. In a speech at the time, Hungary's Regent Miklos Horthy declared, “The laws of true friendship bind us to Poland, which, following a century's hiatus, is once again our next door neighbor.”
This enduring bond has often transcended political interests in the past and would be worthy of continuing today. Just as Hungary resisted German pressure to undermine relations with Poland back then, the current government is refusing to give in and is standing fast by its old ally today.
In an interview with Polsat News in Budapest, Romanowski stated he sought protection in Hungary under European asylum rules. He views the charges against him as politically motivated. He insists on no preferential treatment, but only demands independent and fair judicial proceedings, something he believes is currently unattainable in Poland. "I cannot expect a fair trial while prosecutors and judges fail to adhere to legal norms," he said.
The Polish politician is determined to fight to prove his innocence. It is Hungary's duty to support him, for true friends never abandon one another.
The author is a writer and journalist.
