Poland’s parliament has passed a controversial media law. The introduction of the law has direct consequences for the critical news channel TVN24, which is in American hands. The vote on the law was not on the Sejm’s agenda, but was discussed and dealt with at the last minute. That only took a few minutes.
With this law, the Polish government wants to prevent companies from outside the EU from owning more than 49 percent of the shares in media companies. Critics say the law is aimed at TVN24, which is critical of the current Polish government.
The company is owned by the American media giant Discovery, which broadcasts in Poland through a subsidiary in the Netherlands. With the new media law in hand, the Polish government can silence the channel.
Polish journalistic organizations have called for mass protests next Sunday. They speak of the biggest attack on freedom of expression since 1989. “We do not want Poland to follow the same path as Russia and Hungary. The government wants to shut down the independent media. They know that their main opponent is the truth,” they report in an open letter.
Lightning fast mood
In parliament, 229 MPs voted in favor and 212 against. The bill was passed by the Senate in September stopped, but that objection has now been quashed. An opposition member says she was informed 24 minutes before the vote that the media bill would be voted on.
The vote will undoubtedly lead to tensions with the United States, a staunch ally of Poland. According to the US chargé d’affaires in Poland, the US is “extremely disappointed” that the law has been passed.
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