Poland does not invite Orban to EU Presidency opening ceremony, gives note to Hungary

poland - Poland, which took over the EU Council Presidency from Hungary, did not invite Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to the official opening ceremony. The diplomatic crisis between the two countries arose when Hungary granted political asylum to a Polish parliamentarian wanted by Poland.

Poland, which assumed the Presidency of the EU Council from Hungary, is set to start its duties with the official opening ceremony to be held tonight at the Grand Theatre-National Opera building. Poland has invited all EU member state leaders to the ceremony except Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski also gave a note to the Hungarian Ambassador to Warsaw Istvan Ijgyarto stating that his attendance at the ceremony would not be welcomed.

The diplomatic crisis between the two countries began when Hungary granted political asylum to Michal Romanowski, a Polish parliamentarian wanted by Poland. Romanowski, a former Deputy Minister of Justice in the previous government and currently a member of the main opposition Law and Justice Party (PiS), is being investigated for allegedly spending at least 100 million zloty (approximately 25 million euros) irregularly in the Justice Fund.

The Warsaw Court issued a temporary detention order for Romanowski, but he fled to Hungary on December 19. Claiming to be a victim of political revenge and that evidence was being tampered with, PiS parliamentarian Romanowski applied for political asylum in Hungary. Hungary, on the other hand, refused to extradite Romanowski, who was issued a European Arrest Warrant, to Poland and granted him political asylum.

While it remains unclear how the crisis between the two countries will be resolved, Poland, which will retain the EU Council Presidency until June 30, 2025, will then hand over the duty to Denmark.