Today, the Sejm is set to decide whether to lift Zbigniew Ziobro’s immunity and grant permission for his detention and arrest. The former Minister of Justice faces 26 charges in connection with the Justice Fund. Renowned constitutional scholar Prof. Ryszard Piotrowski leaves no room for doubt: the Law and Justice Party (PiS) politician has no chance of a fair trial. His statement has resonated widely – including within the judicial community.
Zbigniew Ziobro, former Minister of Justice and Prosecutor General, is currently staying in Budapest. Meanwhile, in Poland, the prosecution office headed by Waldemar Żurek (the Minister of Justice also serves as Prosecutor General) intends to bring 26 charges against him, and the Sejm’s Rules Committee has already supported the motion to lift his immunity.
“The verdict has already been made”
Prof. Ryszard Piotrowski, a well-known constitutional expert, appeared on Polsat News, where he openly shared his opinion about Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s coalition’s actions against the former Minister of Justice. Asked about Ziobro’s case, the professor posed his own question: “What chances does he have for a decent trial?” and immediately answered: “None.” Explaining his reasoning, the constitutional scholar said directly: “He has none because, so to speak, the decision in his case has already been made – it was issued by the Prime Minister.”
Pressed further about his assessment, Prof. Piotrowski noted: “Because we are dealing with actions within the judiciary that subordinate it to the government.”
Judges on the ‘chilling effect’
Judges also reacted to the professor’s words. They posted comments about Piotrowski’s statement on X.com.
“The actions taken by the current Ministry of Justice constitute an attack on judicial independence. They aim to create a chilling effect and make judges subservient to the authorities. However, as a judge, I hope that the pressures mentioned by Prof. Ryszard Piotrowski on Polsat News will prove ineffective, because the most important thing in all this is the welfare of citizens,” wrote Judge Kamila Borszowska-Moszowska.
“I remind you – even appearances and impressions matter when assessing the independence of the court. Not to mention politicians exerting influence – vide ‘I need trusted judges in the courts’. That’s exactly what my colleague Piotrowski means, and that’s exactly how it looks,” added Judge Kamil Zaradkiewicz.
What’s next?
The Sejm vote is scheduled for Friday evening. Ziobro’s case marks another chapter in the months-long process of “settling accounts” with the previous government. Yet, the question raised by Prof. Piotrowski and the judges goes far deeper: is a fair trial for an opposition politician still possible in today’s Poland?
The former Minister of Justice remains in Budapest. Will he decide to return to Poland and face the justice system? Or will he wait abroad to see how events unfold? The coming days will bring answers to these questions. Ziobro has announced that he will reveal his next steps after the Sejm decides on his immunity case.