Democracy Digest: Former Polish Justice Minister Faces Legal Scrutiny
In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban strengthens his hold on the media following the acquisition of the country's largest tabloid, Blikk, by a pro-government publisher. Meanwhile, in the Czech Republic, a far-right leader has been elected speaker of the lower house. Slovakia experiences a rise in petty theft after changes to its criminal code.
Back in Poland, the government faces mounting pressure as investigations continue into politicians from the PiS party, who governed from 2015 to 2023. On Thursday, the parliamentary affairs committee began examining a request to waive the immunity of former justice minister and PiS MP Zbigniew Ziobro. He is accused of abusing his position in office, allegations that he has mostly acknowledged.
- One major accusation involves diverting millions of euros from a crime prevention and victim support fund to the Central Anticorruption Bureau (CBA).
- This diversion was reportedly used to purchase Pegasus surveillance software.
- In October, Michal Wos, one of Ziobro’s deputy justice ministers, was indicted concerning this issue.
At the end of September, Polish police removed Ziobro from a plane at the airport and escorted him to testify before the parliamentary commission investigating the Pegasus spyware's use during the previous PiS government.
The National Prosecutor's Office intends to bring 26 charges against Ziobro, including the most serious allegation that he headed a criminal group operating within his ministry to benefit entities connected to the justice minister.
Author's summary: Former Polish justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro faces multiple charges, including misuse of funds and leading a criminal group, as investigations reveal abuses during his term in government.
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