Sikorski: Poland asked Hungary to revoke Ziobro's documents

Radosław Sikorski, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, spoke in "Fakty po Faktach" on TVN24 about the case of Zbigniew Ziobro, who fled to the USA. He conveyed that he had discussed this issue with important US representatives. He also said that the decision on the possible annulment of Ziobro's visa lies with the American authorities.

Former Minister of Justice Zbigniew Ziobro has fled from Hungary to the United States. The National Prosecutor's Office confirmed that he left the Schengen area from Milan airport. Ziobro used a "foreign media member" visa to cross the US border.

The case was commented on by Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski in Saturday's "Fakty po Faktach" on TVN24. He was asked, among other things, whether Poland had requested information from the USA regarding Ziobro and how he entered the USA.

- This was the subject of my conversation with both the US Ambassador in Warsaw and - literally the day before yesterday on the sidelines of a NATO ministerial meeting - with a high-ranking representative of the Department of State. This is something that the Minister of Justice also raises in his conversations - he said.

When asked if he had discussed Ziobro with Marco Rubio - the US Secretary of State, he replied: - I spoke with him, but about military matters. I thanked him for Donald Trump's decision. But one of his deputies was also there.

Can they annul the visa?

Sikorski was also asked if the United States could annul the visa of the former Minister of Justice. - Of course, they can, just as we could - he replied.

He also pointed out that to obtain a journalist visa, one must present a letter of recommendation from an editorial office, which states that the person claiming to be a journalist is indeed one. - Firstly, the question arises as to who gave such a letter of recommendation to Zbigniew Ziobro, who is not a journalist - he added. Ziobro has recently appeared on Telewizja Republika, a station close to PiS, as a "correspondent" in the USA.

- Secondly, visas are sovereign decisions of each country, especially if someone breaks the rules for their issuance. And Zbigniew Ziobro, vice-president of PiS, says he will act there for the Polish diaspora, or travel on a political tour of the United States. This is not journalistic activity - Sikorski continued.

The Deputy Prime Minister also pointed out that there is conflicting information regarding the documents Ziobro is using - namely, whether he has a so-called Geneva passport or Hungarian documents. In the latter case, the Hungarian side could annul these documents, which - as Sikorski said - the Polish side has already requested.

- Then the question arises: if Ziobro has invalid travel documents, can a visa be valid on invalid documents? - he asked rhetorically.