Crisis in Polish-Hungarian Relations: Is PM Orbán Persona Non Grata in Warsaw?
Polish-Hungarian Relations Strained Over Asylum Issue
The relationship between Poland and Hungary has hit a rough patch, with tensions escalating over the granting of asylum to a former Polish deputy justice minister. Polish Deputy Minister for European Affairs Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka made the decision to declare the Hungarian ambassador to Warsaw, István Íjgyártó, “not welcome” at the opening event of the Polish EU presidency.
The move was met with criticism from Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, who called the decision “pathetic and childish”. The Hungarian opposition Socialists also expressed outrage, accusing the Hungarian government of going against European values and democratic principles.
The root of the conflict lies in Hungary’s decision to grant asylum to Marcin Romanowski, a former Polish deputy justice minister who is under investigation for corruption in Poland. The Socialists in Hungary believe that this move by Hungary undermines European solidarity and the rule of law.
The incident highlights the internal political clashes within Poland, as the opposition party PiS criticized the government for not organizing an opening event for the EU leaders, which would have required the presence of President Andrzej Duda of PiS.
Overall, the strained relations between Poland and Hungary underscore the challenges of maintaining unity and cooperation within the European Union.
