On what legal basis did the German side carry out activities on Polish territory in the case of Volodymyr Z.? Attorney Bartosz Lewandowski sees no such grounds. He clearly points out that German services have virtually no jurisdiction in the territory of Poland’s eastern neighbor.
Volodymyr Z., suspected of destroying the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, will spend another 40 days in detention by Monday’s decision of the Warsaw District Court. There is still a risk that he could be handed over to the German authorities.
The case of the Ukrainian citizen has been widely discussed in the media. Recently, his defense attorney revealed that German authorities carried out operations in a town near Warsaw, where Z. lives with his family. The Germans searched Z.’s apartment and removed “evidence” from Poland, including diving equipment belonging to Volodymyr Z. (according to the Ukrainian citizen’s lawyer, the equipment was used for recreational purposes).
Attorney Bartosz Lewandowski reacted to reports about the activities of German services in Poland. He emphasized that “German authorities have no right to carry out any procedural actions on Polish territory.”
He explained that even if the German side issued a European Investigation Order or a European Arrest Warrant, it would be Polish law enforcement officers who would execute the actions.
“Only in a very limited scope of activity within Polish territory (in the border area) may German services exceptionally carry out operations on the basis of the 2015 Polish-German agreement,” noted Attorney Lewandowski.
“But how on earth can German services just walk in near Warsaw, conduct a search, and remove evidence?!” he asks in conclusion.
The destruction of three out of the four Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, which transported natural gas from Russia to Germany, occurred on September 26, 2022. According to the German prosecutor’s office, the perpetrators used a yacht rented in Rostock under false documents and through intermediaries. Investigators determined that divers attached at least four explosive charges to the pipelines and were then transported back to Ukraine after the operation.