WARSAW

Poland's Prosecutor General's Office said Tuesday that it has asked parliament to lift the immunity of former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro and authorize his arrest, alleging that he created and led an organized group that siphoned tens of millions of zlotys in public funds.

Spokesperson Anna Adamiak told reporters in Warsaw that prosecutors have prepared 26 criminal charges against Ziobro, including forming and directing a criminal organization, embezzlement, and falsifying official documents. Investigators estimate losses at about 150 million zlotys (approximately $41.34 million).

“These people committed crimes against property and documents, causing financial damage,” Adamiak said, adding that the alleged crimes were “directly tied” to Ziobro’s tenure as justice minister and prosecutor general, when he had authority over the allocation of grants from the Justice Fund.

Ziobro served as minister of justice and prosecutor general under the previous Law and Justice government, a position combining political and prosecutorial power that drew criticism from legal watchdogs and opposition parties. He also led the hardline faction then known as Solidarna Polska (later Sovereign Poland), which drove the previous government’s judiciary overhaul.

According to prosecutors, the suspected scheme involved former officials at the justice ministry and individuals connected to NGOs that received money from the Justice Fund—a program intended to support victims of crime and crime-prevention projects. Evidence cited by the office includes witness statements, suspect testimonies, grant files, materials from the Supreme Audit Office, and electronic data.

Parliament must now decide whether to strip Ziobro’s parliamentary immunity so prosecutors can press charges. The parliamentary vote has not yet been scheduled.

Law and Justice party MPs have previously dismissed inquiries into the Justice Fund as being politically motivated; Tuesday’s announcement sets up a fresh confrontation between the new government and the main opposition over the legacy of the judiciary reforms and the prior use of public funds.