Polish MP Marcin Romanowski fugitive case

In late July 2026, former Polish justice minister Adam Bodnar suggested that fugitive PiS deputy Marcin Romanowski might be concealed in an Opus Dei monastery in Serbia, outside the EU, to evade a European Arrest Warrant. He noted Romanowski’s past ties to Opus Dei and said Serbian prosecutors had indicated willingness to cooperate with Polish investigators.

By early August 2026, Opus Dei publicly denied that Romanowski was residing in any of its centres and stated that authorities had no information on his location. The report also recalled that Romanowski had previously fled to Hungary, where he received asylum from the Orbán government, but left after a change in power. His whereabouts remained unknown.

On August 10, 2026, Polish Special Services Coordinator Tomasz Siemoniak described Romanowski as being in a ‘dramatically difficult situation’ as authorities continue their search. Siemoniak stated that Romanowski, who has been living abroad for several months, is unable to use payment cards, make phone calls, or move around easily, and noted that his Hungarian documents have been revoked. Siemoniak expressed confidence that Romanowski will be apprehended, noting that cooperation with Hungarian services is proceeding well.

On the same day, the Polish National Prosecutor's Office rejected a request from defense lawyers to lift Romanowski’s temporary arrest. Prosecutors maintained the arrest is justified by the high probability of crime, the risk of evidence tampering, and the fact that Romanowski has been hiding from law enforcement abroad for over 18 months.

Romanowski is a suspect in an ongoing investigation into irregularities within the Justice Fund, which the National Prosecutor's Office has been probing since February 2024. Having overseen the fund between 2019 and 2023, Romanowski faces 11 criminal charges, including participation in an organized criminal group and manipulating funding competitions. His defense attorney has suggested the prosecution is politically motivated.