EBU writes to Polish President Andrzej Duda to express its dismay at the controversial media bill introduced in Poland’s Parliament

GENEVA, Switzerland, 4-1-2016 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has written to the President of the Republic of Poland, Mr Andrzej Duda, and to Members of the Polish Senate expressing its dismay at the bill introduced yesterday (30 December) in Parliament. The controversial bill proposes new measures which would immediately oust the supervisory and management bodies of TVP and Polish Radio and transfer the power of nomination and dismissal of their Board Members to a government minister.

“To preserve the integrity and independence of public service media as a symbol of a free and democratic country, we ask you in the strongest possible terms not to sign this measure into law, and certainly not without having first undertaken a careful analysis of its compatibility with the Polish constitution and the freedom and pluralism of the media, guaranteed by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights,” said Ingrid Deltenre, EBU Director General, in her letter.

“The haste with which this new law has been rushed through Parliament strikes a discordant note about Poland and its respect for the rule of law and the democratic process.”

Earlier this week the EBU, together with a number of press freedom and media organisations. wrote to Members of the Polish Parliament urging them not to vote for this controversial bill.

Contact details

Michelle Roverelli
Head of Communications
Communications
+41 22 717 2204
roverelli@ebu.ch
LinkedIn

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EBU writes to Polish President Andrzej Duda to express its dismay at the controversial media bill introduced in Poland’s Parliament