What's happened
Poland's government has condemned Hungary's decision to grant asylum to Marcin Romanowski, a former deputy justice minister accused of corruption. Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the act as hostile, leading to diplomatic tensions between the two EU nations. Poland has summoned its ambassador from Hungary for consultations.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Independent, Prime Minister Donald Tusk expressed dismay over Hungary's decision, labeling it a 'hostile act' and emphasizing the need for accountability in Poland. AP News echoed this sentiment, noting that the Polish Foreign Ministry summoned its ambassador for consultations, highlighting the seriousness of the diplomatic rift. The Guardian provided context on the broader implications for EU relations, suggesting that Hungary's actions may challenge the unity of member states in upholding democratic values.
How we got here
The conflict arises from Hungary's offer of asylum to Romanowski, who is wanted in Poland under a European arrest warrant for multiple crimes. This incident highlights ongoing tensions regarding rule of law and democracy between the two countries, particularly under Tusk's government, which seeks to address corruption.
More on these topics
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The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. Its members have a combined area of 4,233,255.3 km² and an estimated total population of about 447 million.
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Viktor Mihály Orbán is a Hungarian politician who has been Prime Minister of Hungary since 2010; he was also Prime Minister from 1998 to 2002.
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Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country located in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative subdivisions, covering an area of 312,696 square kilometres, and has a largely temperate seasonal climate.
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Donald Franciszek Tusk is a Polish politician who was President of the European Council from 2014 to 2019. He served as the 14th prime minister of Poland from 2007 to 2014 and was a co-founder and chairman of the Civic Platform political party.
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Hungary is a country in Central Europe. Spanning 93,030 square kilometres in the Carpathian Basin, it borders Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and Slovenia to the southwest, a