Poland’s Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz, recently ordered the liquidation of three major state-owned media entities: Telewizja Polska (TVP), Polskie Radio, and Polska Agencja Prasowa (PAP). As per the ministerial directive, the move aims to ensure the continued operation of these companies, facilitate restructuring, and avoid potential layoffs due to financial constraints.
The decision has come amidst a backdrop of increasing tension between President Andrzej Duda and the recently elected government, who have been in a dispute over media reforms and budgeting. Duda vetoed the 2024 budget bill in a recent development, citing constitutional violations and the need for comprehensive repairs and legal reforms within the public media sector.
However, critics of the move argue that this liquidation, which removes key providers of public services like news coverage, infringes upon citizens’ right to information access, a right guaranteed by the Constitution. Opposition lawmakers have condemned the liquidation as a politically motivated decision designed to wrest control of the media from the new government.
Chairman of the Law and Justice Parliamentary Club, Mariusz Błaszczak, has expressed that through Sienkiewicz, Prime Minister Donald Tusk is trying to seize control of the media in violation of the constitution, laws, and rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal.
Meanwhile, Sławomir Dudek, President of the Institute of Public Finance NGO, has criticised President Duda for manipulating the budget in a way that contravenes the spirit of the constitution. Dudek argued that the President’s actions have merely perpetuated the budget stalemate and bypassed standard protocols.
The recent developments reflect the deep divisions within Poland over how its public media and broader communications sector should operate. These fissures within the country’s political establishment, brought to light by this move, suggest a tumultuous period ahead for Polish media.
This report is based on coverage from JURIST.