media
Poland: Tens of thousands protest against new broadcasting law
Protest participants in Krakow. Photo: Lukasz Gagulski / PAP / dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Above all, the Polish government wants to use a law to restrict a station that is critical of the government. On the other hand, resistance is forming on the street.
Tens of thousands protested against a new broadcasting law in Poland on Sunday. From the point of view of critics, it could restrict the freedom of the press. In Warsaw, demonstrators gathered in front of the presidential palace.
They carried posters with slogans such as “Free media, free people, free Poland” and “We have a right to the truth”. There were also protests in Gdansk, Szczecin, Poznan, Krakow and many other cities. The police and organizers did not name the exact number of participants.
Parliament passed the amended law on Friday. The decision now rests with President Andrzej Duda. He has indicated that he could veto the law. In future, broadcasting licenses will only be allowed to be issued to foreigners if they have their headquarters or residence in the European Economic Area. In addition, the licensee must not be dependent on someone who is headquartered or resident outside of it.
According to critics, the law targets the private broadcaster TVN, which is part of the US group Discovery through a holding company registered in the Netherlands. The news channel TVN24 takes a critical line against the ruling party PiS.
The law has also met with opposition from the US government. According to the State Department in Washington, they are “deeply concerned” about passages that “undermine freedom of expression, weaken freedom of the press and undermine the confidence of foreign investors in their property rights”. The US encouraged Duda to defend the fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution.