Hungary has granted political asylum to Marcin Romanowski, a Polish lawmaker for the Law and Justice (PiS) party and a former Polish deputy minister of justice, Romanowski’s lawyer said on social media on December 19. 

Romanowski is facing multiple criminal charges in Poland, including involvement in an organized crime group and misappropriation of public funds.

Granting asylum to Romanowski has further strained diplomatic relations between Warsaw and Budapest, as Poland views Hungary's actions as a breach of mutual legal obligations within the EU.

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated sharply since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as Budapest has tried to protect Moscow from sanctions and has opposed aid to Ukraine. Relations further worsened after Prime Minister Donald Tusk's coalition defeated the PiS, which is close to Hungary's ruling Fidesz party, at last autumn's election.

Despite a European arrest warrant issued by Polish authorities earlier this month, Hungary justified its decision by raising concerns over the fairness of legal proceedings in Poland, according to Bartosz Lewandowski, who is representing Romanowski.

The move triggered a strong reaction from Poland, with Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski calling it an "unfriendly act”. Sikorski also said Poland would announce “decisions” regarding the asylum for the fugitive minister on December 20.

Poland also plans to seek intervention from the European Commission, deputy Home Affairs Minister Wieslaw Szczepanski said. Poland considers asking the Commission to bring a case against Hungary before the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), Szczepanski said