“It's a recidivism” and “harassment of selected broadcasters,” says one of the members of the National Broadcasting Council about its chairman, Maciej Świrski, and his methods of operation. Recently, the court also commented on this matter, ruling that Maciej Świrski broke the law by delaying the decision regarding the license for the TVN Group channel. Świrski faces a motion to be brought before the State Tribunal.
MPs from the Civic Coalition and co-authors of the motion to bring the head of the National Broadcasting Council, Maciej Świrski, before the State Tribunal presented new information on this matter at a press conference. – Why did Chairman Świrski prohibit the employees of the National Broadcasting Council's filing office from accepting official correspondence? – asked Paweł Adamowicz, chairman of the parliamentary committee on culture and media, MP from the Civic Coalition.
An employee of the Chancellery of the Sejm first tried to deliver the application, but he failed. – The application office refused to accept this application. It is a strange practice that state authorities do not accept correspondence from each other. On September 30, with the participation of the postal operator, this application was delivered – said Zdzisław Gawlik, chairman of the Constitutional Responsibility Committee, MP Civic Coalition.
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Now Maciej Świrski will have 30 days to respond to the content of the application, signed by over 180 MPs. – If Chairman Świrski thinks that he will delay the summons to the committee and, consequently, his appearance before the State Tribunal, he is deeply mistaken – emphasizes Paweł Adamowicz.
Maciej Świrski himself publicly declared that he was calm and that he was not afraid of accusations. – Even if they bring me before the State Tribunal, it seems to me that I have strong enough arguments to defend my actions that I will not be sentenced there – said the head of the National Broadcasting Council.
What do the applicants accuse Świrski of?
In 11 points, the authors of the proposal present and justify examples of violations of the constitution by the head of the National Broadcasting Council. The allegations include, among others, withholding funds from license fees for public radio and television after the change of government, as well as unjustified delays, i.e. in practice blocking licenses for TOK FM and TVN Group channels. The applicants accuse Świrski of using his position to punish independent media, and ordering the execution of penalties without the decisions becoming final.
PiS MPs stand firmly behind Maciej Świrski. – I believe that he should not appear before the State Tribunal – says Paweł Szrot, member of the Constitutional Responsibility Committee, MP Law and Justice. However, the government coalition has no doubts about his activities. – For his incompetence, for breaking the law – says Maciej Wróbel, member of the Constitutional Responsibility Committee, MP KO.
Importantly, the court has already commented on this dispute, stating that Maciej Świrski broke the law by delaying the decision regarding the license for the TVN Style channel. The TVN station filed a complaint in this matter. The court fined the head of the National Broadcasting Council for inaction in the amount of PLN 60,000. Maciej Świrski has already announced his cancellation. At the last meeting, members of the National Broadcasting Council were to discuss the extension of further licenses, this time for the TVN International Extra and TVN Fabuła channels. The matter was postponed once again. – We are dealing here with a certain recidivism, i.e. an action that involves harassment of selected broadcasters and selected entities, which means unequal treatment of entities on the market – says Prof. Tadeusz Kowalski, member of the National Broadcasting Council.
Main photo source: Kalbar/PAP