Poland has decided not to invite Hungary’s ambassador to the inauguration ceremony for its upcoming presidency of the European Union, scheduled for January 3. This decision follows Hungary’s granting of political asylum to Marcin Romanowski, a former Polish deputy minister under investigation for suspected misuse of public funds, according to a senior official, reports RFE.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has also not been invited to the event in Warsaw, said Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, Deputy Minister for European Affairs.
Warsaw expressed anger after Budapest granted asylum to Romanowski, a former deputy justice minister, who had been detained in July as part of an investigation into alleged misuse of public funds. Romanowski was quickly released after the president of the European Assembly for Human Rights claimed he had immunity due to his membership in the body. Romanowski denies the allegations.
“When we invited guests to our gala a month ago, we invited the entire diplomatic corps,” Sobkowiak-Czarnecka said in a televised statement. “However, after the situation with Deputy Minister Romanowski, Minister [of Foreign Affairs, Radek] Sikorski decided that the Hungarian ambassador would not be welcome at today’s event.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and European Council President Antonio Costa are expected to speak at the inauguration of Poland’s six-month presidency of the EU.
Hungary held the EU presidency in the second half of 2024. Tusk has been a critic of Orban’s stance on the Ukraine war and what Poland views as pro-Russian policies. Orban told a Hungarian media outlet that Tusk’s government considers Hungarians as enemies.
