US Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski stressed on TVN24 that democracy “cannot” triumph without the rule of law and freedom of the press. – In Poland, we have a very strong media environment, which is something Poland can be proud of. I can guarantee that Western companies located in Poland see the presence of TVN as a source of great guarantee for them – he added.
Mark Brzezinski spoke in an interview with Katarzyna Kolenda-Zaleska on TVN24 about the role of free media in shaping democratic societies. He said that democracy “cannot” triumph without the rule of law and freedom of the press.
He said that “media freedom is one of the most fundamental ways to protect our citizens from disinformation.” “A strong, strong exchange of ideas that are at odds with each other, that are sometimes in high-profile disagreement, that’s the way to define the best way forward that we’re taking,” he explained.
– I am a representative of a family that has been involved in political life for many years – he reminded. Recalling his late father, Zbigniew Brzeziński, the ambassador said that “a lot of terrible things have appeared in the media about him”. “He’s always understood that it’s part of the process and the media can be tough asking tough questions,” he admitted. “That’s fine, we’ll deal with that, assuming we’re open and transparent about our positions,” he added.
Brzezinski: Nobody has a monopoly on the truth
Brzezinski emphasized that “no one has a monopoly on the truth”. – No man has all the answers. This is the beauty of democracy, that there is a dispute or competition between various ideas, ideas in the media, and freedom of the media, freedom of expression is extremely important. It must be defended and one must be extremely careful in its implementation, he said.
The ambassador noted that “it is not that the American government does not recognize the right of regulators in the context of carrying out their tasks, investigating matters that fall within their responsibility.” – On the other hand, in Poland, in recent years, it is true that some politicians, as well as some representatives KRRiT, expressed their animosity towards TVN. Therefore, it is particularly important to provide this information. The current process is a process that must be carried out in a sober, rational and prudent manner to ensure that the outcome actually reflects the facts and respects the rule of law, he declared.
Brzezinski: Poland can be proud of it
– We fought for our democracies in order to remember about the basics, i.e. freedom of the media and freedom of expression – he stressed. – In Poland, we have a very strong media environment, which is something Poland can be proud of. I can guarantee that Western companies based in Poland see TVN’s presence as a source of great assurance for them. These companies guarantee the creation of thousands of jobs in Poland. They feel reassured to see that there is a strong presence of various editorial offices, including TVN, he added.
– I can guarantee and I want to make it very clear that the American government sees very clearly the freedom of the media, of which TVN is an important part, and that this is the basic foundation of democracy that we see in modern Poland, which is our special friend nowadays – he stressed .
Main photo source: TVN24