Poland has become part of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), an EU institution dedicated to investigating and prosecuting financial crimes. Minister Adam Bodnar announced that Poland will eventually have 24 delegated European prosecutors. Grażyna Stronikowska, from the National Prosecutor’s Office, has been named as the first European Prosecutor from Poland.
Poland officially joined the EPPO in March 2024, following a proposal by Bodnar in December 2023, shortly after becoming Minister of Justice.
On Friday, Minister Bodnar attended an EU Council meeting on Justice and Home Affairs and later held a joint press conference with Swedish Minister of Justice Gunnar Stroemmer.
"Joining the European Public Prosecutor’s Office is a decision of great importance. I am pleased to announce it alongside Sweden’s Minister of Justice. This marks a deepening of our European integration, a demonstration of loyalty to EU institutions, and a significant step toward rebuilding the rule of law in Poland," Bodnar said.
By joining the EPPO, Poland has empowered this EU body to investigate and prosecute two major categories of crimes: Cross-border VAT fraud exceeding €10 million. Crimes affecting the EU’s financial interests, such as misuse of EU funds or related fraud.
This decision highlights Poland’s commitment to improving transparency, accountability, and cooperation with EU institutions.
Grażyna Stronikowska becomes Poland's first European prosecutor
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is led by Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi of Romania, who oversees a college of European prosecutors, one from each participating country. On Thursday, Grażyna Stronikowska, from Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office, was appointed as the first European prosecutor representing Poland.
Stronikowska previously worked at the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) in Brussels. She also served in the Department for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption within the National Prosecutor’s Office. She is a graduate of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń.
At the national level, delegated prosecutors are responsible for conducting investigations, initiating proceedings, and prosecuting cases. These prosecutors operate with full independence from national authorities.
In Poland, there will be four offices for delegated European prosecutors. According to Justice Minister Adam Bodnar, the first two offices will be established in Warsaw and Katowice.
The minister recalled announcing Poland’s intention to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) immediately after taking office on December 13, 2023. The European Commission cited this decision as one reason for ending the Article 7 proceedings against Poland for alleged rule-of-law violations.
Currently, Ireland, Denmark, and Hungary remain outside the EPPO framework.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, TVN24, PAP
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: Prokuratura Krajowa