Zbigniew Ziobro has commented on what he described as an extraordinary move by prosecutors under Waldemar Żurek, who have submitted a request to the United States for the former justice minister’s extradition. The Law and Justice politician is expected to face 26 charges connected with the Justice Fund “scandal.”
“I have profound respect for American democracy, the United States Constitution and the principles of the rule of law. I trust in the independence of American institutions. I am therefore entirely calm about submitting this matter to the assessment of the US authorities. I am ready for a thorough, fair and impartial examination of both the allegations made against me and the broader political context of these proceedings. I believe that American institutions will examine not only the contents of the extradition request, but also the circumstances in which it was drawn up, the conduct of the Polish authorities and whether the justice system has been unlawfully and instrumentally used to target a political opponent,”
Zbigniew Ziobro said.
He then strongly criticised the actions of the so-called December 13 coalition in the area of justice.
“Donald Tusk, Adam Bodnar and Waldemar Żurek have repeatedly and publicly declared me guilty before any independent court has examined the case. Such a situation should never occur in a democratic state governed by the rule of law. First, a political verdict was delivered, and a politically motivated campaign of vilification was launched. Only later was the machinery of the state deployed to give the case a semblance of legality,”
the PiS politician wrote on social media.
Ziobro was highly critical of Żurek’s knowledge and understanding of the legal systems of democratic countries.
“Minister Waldemar Żurek apparently assumes that the United States will comply with every demand made by the current government in Warsaw. That is not how American democracy works. The United States derives its strength from the independence of its courts, respect for individual rights and the conviction that the justice system must not become a political instrument. I believe that this is precisely why American institutions will easily recognise the evidence pointing to the political nature and motivations of this case,”
the former justice minister said in a scathing assessment of Żurek.
Ziobro also pointed to what he considers the primary motive behind the actions of Żurek and his superior, Tusk: revenge and a desire to destroy the opposition completely.
“As prosecutor general, I supervised proceedings involving people from his immediate political circle, including individuals suspected of serious criminal offences: Sławomir Nowak, Stanisław Gawłowski, Tomasz Grodzki and Roman Giertych. I now have every right to conclude that the actions being taken against me form part of a broader plan directed not only against me, but also against the largest opposition party and everyone who opposes the current government,”
the former justice minister said.
“There is another dimension to this matter: the incompetence of Donald Tusk’s government. A striking example of this is the rapidly worsening crisis in the healthcare system. An incompetent government will always try to conceal its failures. This extradition request is also intended to serve that purpose,” the opposition politician concluded.