2024-12-20 14:48 update: 2024-12-20, 14:52
Photo PAP/Albert Zawada
Marcin Romanowski, who served as a deputy justice minister in the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government, may face seven additional charges, which would be in addition to the 11 current allegations regarding his purported misappropriation of millions from a special-purpose fund.
The announcement regarding the indictments was made by National Prosecutor Dariusz Korneluk on Friday, who said that legal proceedings against Romanowski would continue, despite the political asylum he had been granted by Hungary.
"Today, the prosecutor recognises the need to add seven more serious criminal charges against Mr. Romanowski related to this illegal misuse of funds from the Justice Fund," Korneluk said.
The additional charges against Romanowski have been filed just one day after the politician, currently a PiS MP, was confronted with a European Arrest Warrant, which Hungary had breached by providing him with political asylum.
The lawmaker told the Polish right-wing private television Republika on Friday he did not feel stressed by the potential new indictments and added that he was not attempting to evade the legal process.
In his role as a deputy justice minister in the PiS government, Romanowski oversaw the so-called Justice Fund, a special-purpose reserve aimed at helping victims of crimes. Prosecutors accuse him of committing 18 crimes, being part of an organised criminal group and awarding contracts financed by the Justice Fund to selected bidders, which resulted in defrauding PLN 107 million (EUR 25 mln) and an attempt to defraud a further PLN 58 million (EUR 13.56 mln).
The politician remarked that the fact that an EU state was harbouring a politician from another EU country means that "there is no fair judiciary in Poland but politically motivated judges and attorneys." He assessed his asylum in Hungary as lawful and in accordance with the EU treaties and the Hungarian legal system.
"The sooner this illegitimate regime ends, the sooner I will face a true justice system," Romanowski added. (PAP)
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