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Hungary has granted political asylum to a former Polish government official suspected of corruption. Poland has called Hungary’s action a hostile act.

“A member of the Polish Sejm, a former deputy minister of justice, accused of embezzling huge sums of state funds, fled from a Polish court to Hungary and was granted political asylum there,” Sejm Speaker Szymon Gołownia began his speech on Thursday.

“We consider the decision of Viktor Orbán’s government to grant political asylum to Mr. Romanowski, a suspect in a crime wanted under a European arrest warrant, as an act hostile to the Republic of Poland and the principles of the European Union. We will announce our decisions tomorrow,” Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski briefly commented on Hungary’s decision.

Marcin Romanowski, 48, is a suspect in the case of embezzlement of PLN 58 million from the Justice Fund. On Thursday, the Warsaw District Court announced the issuance of a European arrest warrant for the former deputy justice minister, who is also a current member of the Sejm from the Law and Justice party. On December 12, the prosecutor's office issued a warrant for the politician's arrest. The prosecutor's office accuses Romanowski, who as a politician of Solidarity Poland (and then Sovereign Poland) was the deputy head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who oversaw the Justice Fund from 2019 to 2023, of committing 11 crimes, including participation in an organized criminal group and organizing competitions to receive money from the fund.

Poland seeks clarity on US AI chip export restrictions
2025-01-15 · 18:04
Update:
today, 02:26

The Polish embassy has reached out to Washington for clarification regarding new export restrictions on advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips, the Polish deputy minister of digital affairs has said.

While the limitations might not "halt AI advancements in Poland" in the short term, concerns have emerged regarding their potential long-term effects, said Dariusz Standerski during a discussion on Polish Radio on Wednesday.

He added that the restrictions, announced on Monday by the Biden administration, were intended to restrict the export of advanced AI chips to specific countries, including Poland.

By making this move, the outgoing American government seeks ways of hindering China and other countries from capitalising on tech cutting-edge technology.

Standerski said that the Polish embassy has sought clarification from the United States regarding the rationale behind Warsaw's classification in the second tier of a three-tier list of countries subject to or exempt from restrictions on acquiring American-made AI chips. Poland has been designated as one of the nations that will face limitations on the amount of US technology they can procure.

Later in the day, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski said he had asked the foreign minister to immediately take steps regarding the decision taken by the US.

"The decision taken by the US Administration regarding exports of graphics processing units (GPU) (chips - PAP) is incomprehensible for us and is not based on any business-like premises," Gawkowski wrote on the X platform.

He also added that all EU countries should be treated in the same way in relations with the US.

"I have asked the foreign minister to take determined and urgent measures concerning this matter," Gawkowski said.

"The entire matter has never been the subject of any consultations with the Ministry of Digital Affairs," PAP was told by a ministry's press office.

Representatives of the ministry had already held talks on the subject with the European Commission. "I will ask Commissioner Henna Virkkunen to take determined actions," Gawkowski said.

Speaking to reporters later on Wednesday, Gawkowski said that the US had not informed Poland about its decision to introduce restrictions on chip exports.

"This is a bad signal for Poland as it shows that the US Administration does not understand that it has a loyal ally," he said.

"I am very surprised that the US Administration has presented a list ...with Poland on it," he continued, adding that "this is an unjustified and unwarrantable move."

Later on Wednesday, Jakub Wisniewski, a deputy foreign minister, held a conversation on US chip exports with US Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski, Pawel Wronski, a foreign ministry spokesman, told PAP.

Wronski added that the ministry had launched actions to explain the entire situation both in Poland and through its diplomatic representation in the US before Minister Gawkowski's appeal.

"Poland has expressed concern over the recent decisions taken by the US Administration. The US side has obliged itself to hold consultations with Poland, on both political and technical levels," the ministry wrote in a statement.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Polish Embassy in Washington are in contact with the Ministry of Digital Affairs and the US authorities, and will take more steps to solve the existing discrepancies concerning this matter," the ministry said.

This decision coincided with the announcement from the Polish government regarding investments in technology and innovation development worth billions of zlotys, with the aim of positioning Poland as a leader in AI technology.

Poland's response reflects broader apprehensions expressed by the European Commission concerning similar measures that affect certain EU member states and their businesses. (PAP)

A Polish security expert living in Germany, Dr. Sławomir Ozdyk, says if Poland continues to embrace Western liberal immigration policies, it will face the same security threats present in Western Europe.

“If we let immigrants in, it will be no different, just the same as in Western Europe. They will steal, rape, rob and kill,” said Dr. Ozdyk while appearing on the Youtube channel of Tygodnik Do Rzeczy as a guest of Piotr Szlachtowicz.

The discussion focused on the political situation in Germany, including the surge in popularity of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the series of terror attacks and murders tied to mass immigration from Africa and the Middle East.

Dr. Ozdyk tied developments in Germany to trends seen in Poland regarding immigration. He says the government’s agenda to build a foreign integration center and push through the EU’s migration pact is changing the demographic composition of Polish cities, especially the largest cities. ...

“It’s not one or two kebab shops, but 1,500 guys who will not stay in centers, but will go out and steal, rape, rob, and kill just like in Western Europe. Why should it be different in Poland than in France, Germany, Sweden, and Benelux countries? It will not be different, it will be the same. The cultural code is the cultural code, and theirs is completely different from ours,” he said.

Standerski said that the Polish embassy has sought clarification from the United States regarding the rationale behind Warsaw's classification in the second tier of a three-tier list of countries subject to or exempt from restrictions on acquiring American-made AI chips. Poland has been designated as one of the nations that will face limitations on the amount of US technology they can procure.

If Europe falls, it will be North America (excluding globohomo Canada) which is the last bastion.

stereotomy says

If Europe falls, it will be North America (excluding globohomo Canada) which is the last bastion.

It already fell. Long ago.

https://x.com/StuartDowell/status/1890729344437510599

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk says Europe should finance aid for Ukraine by taking from Russian assets which have been frozen.

"Enough talking, it's time to act!" Tusk says, in a social media post, before listing three actions he thinks should be taken on the conflict in Ukraine.

First, he suggests, Europe should "finance our aid for Ukraine from the Russian frozen assets".

Secondly, the Polish leader says air policing should be strengthened, as well as "EU borders with Russia".

And, Tusk finishes, Europe should "swiftly adopt new fiscal rules to finance the EU security and defence. Now!"

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk says Europe should finance aid for Ukraine by taking from Russian assets which have been frozen.

"Enough talking, it's time to act!" Tusk says, in a social media post, before listing three actions he thinks should be taken on the conflict in Ukraine.

First, he suggests, Europe should "finance our aid for Ukraine from the Russian frozen assets".

Secondly, the Polish leader says air policing should be strengthened, as well as "EU borders with Russia".

And, Tusk finishes, Europe should "swiftly adopt new fiscal rules to finance the EU security and defence. Now!"

Poland's PM not impressed with Donnie's dealmaking prowess:



https://x.com/donaldtusk/status/1898345561637417048

The greater evil, and the real threat to all our lives, is the faction in the US State Department that wants eternal war.

Wow, when I visited Poland two years ago, they were clearly doing well, but I didn't know it was that well.