LONDON
Hungary has granted asylum to two Polish citizens, Polish media reported Friday, drawing criticism from Warsaw amid an ongoing dispute over the extradition of former Polish officials wanted on corruption charges.
The Polish Foreign Ministry said Budapest's recent moves “negatively impact bilateral relations and undermine the principles of European solidarity,” according to broadcaster TVP World.
“Like other EU member states, Poland has received information about the granting of asylum in Hungary to two Polish citizens,” a ministry spokesperson was quoted as saying, adding that the identities of the individuals could not be confirmed.
The decision comes against the backdrop of a broader disagreement between Budapest and Warsaw over Hungary’s earlier decision to grant asylum to Marcin Romanowski, a former Polish deputy justice minister with the Law and Justice party.
Romanowski, who is wanted by Polish prosecutors on 11 charges ranging from alleged abuse of power to misappropriation of public funds, was granted asylum by Hungary in December 2024.
Investigative outlet VSquare reported last month that Zbigniew Ziobro, Poland’s former justice minister, who is also sought by prosecutors in connection with the same embezzlement scandal, was also in Budapest.
Ziobro declined to say whether he had applied for asylum in Hungary.
Later, Poland summoned the Hungarian envoy and expressed its opposition to the reported actions, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewior told Polish web portal Interia.
Wewior said that Warsaw also requested the disclosure of the names of the individuals who were granted protection in Hungary.