Change of Judge in ENA Case for Zbigniew Ziobro and Renewed Warrant for Marcin Romanowski

The District Court in Warsaw has made key procedural decisions regarding leading politicians of Sovereign Poland. Judge Katarzyna Stasiów granted the request of the National Prosecutor's Office to disqualify Judge Dariusz Łubowski from the case concerning the issuance of a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) for Zbigniew Ziobro. The prosecution argued that Judge Łubowski's previous attitudes and statements could raise justified doubts about his impartiality in political cases. A new judge, who will decide the fate of the request regarding the former minister of justice, will be selected by drawing lots. Zbigniew Ziobro is suspected of committing 26 offenses related to irregularities in the Justice Fund. The institution of judge disqualification (iudex suspectus) has a long tradition in Polish procedural law, dating back to the interwar period, and serves to guarantee citizens the right to an impartial and independent court. At the same time, the Warsaw court issued a renewed EAW for Marcin Romanowski. The previous warrant was overturned in December 2025, which sparked a wave of criticism from the current authorities. The court now ruled that the interest of justice requires re-requesting the politician's arrest, even though he obtained political asylum in Hungary in December 2024. Romanowski and his lawyer, attorney Bartosz Lewandowski, claim that this action constitutes a gross violation of law and is an element of political repression. „Poland has become a laboratory of lawlessness, where constitutional principles are broken for immediate political purposes.” — Marcin Romanowski This situation places the government of Viktor Orbán in a difficult diplomatic position regarding Polish extradition requests. Hungary has been in a long-standing dispute with EU institutions over the rule of law, and granting asylum to a Polish politician is a precedent in relations between European Union member states. Meanwhile, Zbigniew Ziobro has been in Hungary since October 2025. The National Prosecutor's Office, headed by Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek, seeks to bring both politicians back to the country to charge them with abuse of power and causing large-scale property damage. The defense announces an appeal against the court's recent decisions, pointing to their political nature. 26 — criminal charges the prosecution intends to bring against Zbigniew Ziobro Zbigniew Ziobro: 26, Marcin Romanowski: 11Timeline of EAW Cases for Sovereign Poland Politicians: — ; — ; — ; — ; —