Poland – media/intelligence agencies

On Wednesday, Poland’s new government put an end to broadcasts on a public television channel accused of being a propaganda tool. At the same time, the government has fired leading figures at several publicly owned media outlets. It is only a week since Donald Tusk, leader of the liberal and pro-European Civic Platform party, was sworn in as Polish Prime Minister. His new government has promised to restore “impartiality in Polish media”.
     According to the government, this is necessary after the national conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party has been in power in Poland for eight years. Critics have accused the party of breaking up the independence of the judiciary, worsening relations with the EU and turning state-owned media into propaganda tools. In particular, the TVP channel Info has been accused of being biased.
     The layoffs affect the state channel TVP and radio, among others. The management of the PAP news agency has also been fired. Parliament voted on Tuesday to restore the “impartiality” of the public media. Parliament thus calls on ‘all state authorities to immediately restore constitutional order in the form of citizens’ access to credible information’. Tusk’s plans to reform the media faced opposition from the outset from the former ruling party. PiS has strongly criticised the layoffs.
     On Tuesday, according to Poland’s news agency PAP, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the names of new heads of Poland’s security and intelligence agencies.   /ritzau/Reuters/PAP1/PAP2/