U.S. Deputy Secretary of State directs visa for former Polish justice minister

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau instructed officials to facilitate a visa for former Polish justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro, enabling him to travel from Hungary to the United States. Ziobro faces 26 charges in Poland, most related to alleged misuse of funds from a crime victims' fund. He has denied the charges and described them as politically motivated.

During that period, the European Union said judicial reforms reduced the independence of Poland's courts. Hungary's former prime minister granted Ziobro asylum in January. Poland had requested his return after Hungary's April election.

reactions Landau directed the State Department's Consular Affairs Bureau to instruct the U.S. embassy in Budapest to issue the visa before Hungary's new prime minister took office on May 9. One source described the visa as a journalist visa. Poland's justice minister said he was surprised by the decision and called for the United States to share evidence in the case.

Prosecutors have prepared an extradition request. Ziobro began working as a commentator for Polish broadcaster TV Republika and appeared on the network on May 10. He described the United States as the world's strongest democracy.