The dispute over the public media in Poland is producing strange results: three men are claiming the position of television director for themselves. Only one of them was appointed by the new government.
In Poland, the conflict between the political camps over the public media is coming to a head. After the new government of Donald Tusk replaced the director of the TVP broadcaster and replaced him with Tomasz Syrgut, the former ruling party PiS, which was voted out of office, is apparently trying by all means possible to install an alternative boss.
TV journalist describes himself as director
A television journalist, Michal Adamczyk, who is close to the PiS party, spoke out on social media as the new TVP director. The Council for National Media elected him to this position, Adamczyk explained on the TVP Info channel on the X platform, formerly Twitter.
“By taking office, I promise to do everything possible to restore the law and order at the station, punish the guilty and resume operations of all programs,” wrote Adamczyk. He also warned: “Other people who publicly pose as supposed directors are acting unlawfully.”
Supervisory board without powers
On December 24th, former TVP supervisory board chairman Maciej Lopinski, who was close to PiS, also described himself as the station’s new director. The supervisory board elected him to this position, Lopinski wrote. The Ministry of Culture, however, replied that this committee had been dissolved and could no longer make valid decisions.
PiS resists restructuring
Last week, Culture Minister Bartlomiej Sienkiewicz fired the entire leadership of the public broadcaster. This affected the CEOs and supervisory boards of the TVP television station, Polish radio and the PAP news agency.
The Tusk government accuses the media of spreading party propaganda in recent years under the PiS government. International organizations had also criticized the one-sided reporting. The PiS is resisting the restructuring. MPs also occupied workspaces at TVP and PAP over the Christmas holidays.
