Hungary revokes asylum for two ex-Polish ministers sought for corruption

Hungary's new government has revoked the political asylum granted to two former Polish ministers who are wanted by Polish authorities for alleged corruption offenses. The decision, confirmed by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, reverses a move by the previous ultranationalist government led by Viktor Orbán, which had previously strained diplomatic ties with Warsaw.

The affected former officials, Zbigniew Ziobro and Marcin Romanowski, both linked to the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, face charges including corruption, embezzlement of public funds, and participation in a criminal organization. European arrest warrants have been issued for them. Romanowski received asylum in Hungary in late 2024, and Ziobro in October 2025, during a period when Hungary maintained restrictive asylum policies.

New Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who has cultivated good relations with his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk, had pledged to revoke the asylum. Magyar indicated in May that Ziobro had already left Hungary, possibly with assistance, while Romanowski's whereabouts are unknown, with speculation he may have fled to Serbia or Croatia following the government change.

Orbán and his Fidesz party were close allies of the PiS party. The previous Hungarian government's decision to grant asylum was described as a "hostile" and "unacceptable" act by the current Polish government, which accused Budapest of disregarding European arrest warrants. The revocation is seen as a move to mend relations between the two countries.

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the decision to grant asylum to these two politicians was a 'hostile' and 'unacceptable' act