Free media means free people and free Poland. Hundreds of thousands of Poles know this, which was visible on Sunday on the streets of more than a hundred cities in the country. Nearly two and a half million people have already signed the appeal for vetoing the TVN lex by the President.
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On Sunday throughout Poland took place protests demanding a veto from President Andrzej Duda against lex TVN, a law that strikes a TV station completely independent from the government. It is independent because it belongs to the American corporation on which neither PiS nor other Polish politicians have any influence. Everything indicates that it is this influence that is at stake. Marek Suski, MP, spoke about it at the beginning of July. Lex TVN is to lead to the change of the owner. – It poses a serious threat to the freedom of media and pluralism in Poland – Christian Wigand, spokesman of the European Commission, assesses the actions of the authorities.
The media are not here to support the government – people said during Sunday’s protests. – I came to defend the TV remote control. They will not tell us what to press, what to watch – said Edward Miszczak, program director of TVN during the demonstration.
Opposition politicians also came to the protest in defense of TVN and other free media. – We are here today in defense of free media and free speech – emphasized Donald Tusk, leader of Civic Platform.
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The opposition submits a complaint to the prosecutor’s office against the Law and Justice deputies from the Parliamentary Commission for Culture and Media – according to politicians, those who led the work of the commission violated the law because the TVN lex was proceeded without time limits. – This is an abuse of power, which is a crime – says Michał Szczerba, MP from Civic Platform. This is another report concerning Law and Justice politicians. Previous ones concerned unjustified – according to opposition – reassumption of voting when PiS lacked majority in TVN lex. However, the head of the prosecutor’s office is Zbigniew Ziobro, who is a part of the ruling camp and voted for TVN lex.
source: tvn24.pl
