Poland's Culture Minister, Bartlomiej Sienkiewicz has announced the liquidation of the state television, radio, and news agency, escalating a conflict over the fate of publicly-owned media following a significant change in government. This month, a pro-European Union coalition led by Donald Tusk assumed control in Poland and initiated a restructuring of state media institutions.

Critics argue that these outlets had served as propaganda channels during the eight-year tenure of the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party. The decision to place state media entities into liquidation underscores the ongoing tensions surrounding the transformation of Poland's media landscape under the new administration.

The alterations have faced staunch resistance from the Law and Justice (PiS) party, contending that the recently installed government sidestepped standard parliamentary procedures during their implementation. This development comes in the wake of President Andrzej Duda, an ally of the PiS, exercising his veto power to reject the new government's financial proposals for public media financing.

Bartlomiej Sienkiewicz posted on social media platform X, "Due to the decision of the President of the Republic of Poland to suspend financing of public media, I decided to put into liquidation the companies Telewizja Polska SA, Polskie Radio SA and Polska Agencja Prasowa SA."

"In the present circumstances, taking such action will guarantee the ongoing functioning of these companies, facilitate essential restructuring, and avert potential employee layoffs within the aforementioned entities," stated Bartlomiej Sienkiewicz.

He clarified that the state of liquidation remains subject to reversal at any point, contingent upon the decision of the state, the current owner of these companies. PiS lawmaker Joanna Lichocka asserted on social media platform X, "Tusk's government is destroying the Polish media." She added, "This is an act which damages the state."

The recently established government took the state news channel TVP Info off the air and ousted executives from state media, asserting that these actions were aimed at reinstating impartiality. Critics, including media analysts and free speech activists, contend that under the Law and Justice (PiS) party, TVP did not adhere to its charter, which mandates it to function as a neutral news provider, but rather operated as a government mouthpiece.

In response, PiS argues that the changes initiated by the new government undermine media pluralism by eliminating a conservative voice. Furthermore, they assert that the implementation of these changes, without the passage of a parliamentary bill, is not legally sound. The government led by Donald Tusk refutes these claims.

President Duda vetoed a bill, withholding 3 billion zlotys ($771 million) in funding for state media due to the government's actions. Duda's office accused Sienkiewicz of acting like "a typical aggressor." Marcin Mastalerek on X claimed this reveals the authorities' powerlessness to legally alter leadership in these companies. Despite the current administration's appointment, a PiS-dominated body selected a new television boss.

Image source: Reuters