The bill, yet to be signed into law, would tighten rules around foreign ownership of media
Protesters march in Krakow on Sunday to demand Poland’s head of state veto a law they say would limit media freedoms in the country.
Photograph: Alex Bona/Sopa Images/Rex/Shutterstock
Guardian staff with agencies
Mon 20 Dec 2021 02.29 GMT
Poles have staged nationwide protests including a thousands-strong rally outside the presidential palace to demand the head of state veto a law they say would limit media freedoms in the European Union’s largest eastern member.
Unexpectedly rushed through parliament on Friday, the legislation would tighten rules around foreign ownership of media, specifically affecting the ability of news channel TVN24, owned by US media company Discovery Inc, to operate.
The bill, yet to be signed into law by president Andrzej Duda, has soured ties between Nato-member state Poland and the United States at a time of heightened tension in eastern Europe amid what some countries see as increased Russian assertiveness.
Poland angers US by rushing through media law amid concerns over press freedom
It has also fuelled wider fears about attacks on media freedoms that have been running high since state-run oil company PKN Orlen said last year it was taking over a German-owned publisher of regional newspapers.
“This is not just about one channel,” the Warsaw mayor and a former opposition candidate for president, Rafal Trzaskowski, told the crowd on Sunday. “In a moment [there will be] censorship of the internet, an attempt to extinguish all independent sources of information – but we will not allow that to happen.”
At demonstrations outside the president’s palace, 38-year-old Emilia Zlotinska told Agence France-Press: “We need free speech. I would like the president not to sign it.”
TVN24 footage showed protesters in Warsaw waving Polish and EU flags and chanting “free media”.
Guardian staff with agencies
Mon 20 Dec 2021 02.29 GMT
Poles have staged nationwide protests including a thousands-strong rally outside the presidential palace to demand the head of state veto a law they say would limit media freedoms in the European Union’s largest eastern member.
Unexpectedly rushed through parliament on Friday, the legislation would tighten rules around foreign ownership of media, specifically affecting the ability of news channel TVN24, owned by US media company Discovery Inc, to operate.
The bill, yet to be signed into law by president Andrzej Duda, has soured ties between Nato-member state Poland and the United States at a time of heightened tension in eastern Europe amid what some countries see as increased Russian assertiveness.
Poland angers US by rushing through media law amid concerns over press freedom
It has also fuelled wider fears about attacks on media freedoms that have been running high since state-run oil company PKN Orlen said last year it was taking over a German-owned publisher of regional newspapers.
“This is not just about one channel,” the Warsaw mayor and a former opposition candidate for president, Rafal Trzaskowski, told the crowd on Sunday. “In a moment [there will be] censorship of the internet, an attempt to extinguish all independent sources of information – but we will not allow that to happen.”
At demonstrations outside the president’s palace, 38-year-old Emilia Zlotinska told Agence France-Press: “We need free speech. I would like the president not to sign it.”
TVN24 footage showed protesters in Warsaw waving Polish and EU flags and chanting “free media”.
Thousands of people attended protests at the Main Square in Krakow.
Photograph: Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock
“We have to be here today because free media are a pillar of democracy,” said Beata Laciak, a member of the crowd and a sociology professor.
Demonstrations took place across the country. Pictures from the southern city of Krakow showed protesters brandishing banners with slogans like “Hands off TVN” and “Free Poland, free people, free media”.
As of 8.20pm local time, more than 1.5 million people had signed a petition in TVN24’s defence, the channel said.
Polish parliament passes controversial new media ownership bill
The ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has long said that foreign media groups have too much power in the country and distort public debate.
Critics say the moves against foreign media groups are part of an increasingly authoritarian agenda that has put Warsaw at loggerheads with Brussels over LGBT rights and judicial reforms.
Last week, the US state department called on Duda to protect free speech, freedom to engage in economic activity, property rights and equal treatment.
“The United States is deeply troubled by the passage in Poland today of a law that would undermine freedom of expression, weaken media freedom and erode foreign investors confidence in their property rights and the sanctity of contracts in Poland,” state department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement on Friday.
The European Commission said the new law sent another negative signal about the respect of rule of law and democratic values in Poland.
“Once this bill becomes a law, the commission will not hesitate to take action in case of non-compliance with EU law,” commission vice-president Vera Jourova said in a statement.
Reuters and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report
“We have to be here today because free media are a pillar of democracy,” said Beata Laciak, a member of the crowd and a sociology professor.
Demonstrations took place across the country. Pictures from the southern city of Krakow showed protesters brandishing banners with slogans like “Hands off TVN” and “Free Poland, free people, free media”.
As of 8.20pm local time, more than 1.5 million people had signed a petition in TVN24’s defence, the channel said.
Polish parliament passes controversial new media ownership bill
The ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has long said that foreign media groups have too much power in the country and distort public debate.
Critics say the moves against foreign media groups are part of an increasingly authoritarian agenda that has put Warsaw at loggerheads with Brussels over LGBT rights and judicial reforms.
Last week, the US state department called on Duda to protect free speech, freedom to engage in economic activity, property rights and equal treatment.
“The United States is deeply troubled by the passage in Poland today of a law that would undermine freedom of expression, weaken media freedom and erode foreign investors confidence in their property rights and the sanctity of contracts in Poland,” state department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement on Friday.
The European Commission said the new law sent another negative signal about the respect of rule of law and democratic values in Poland.
“Once this bill becomes a law, the commission will not hesitate to take action in case of non-compliance with EU law,” commission vice-president Vera Jourova said in a statement.
Reuters and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report
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