There is a decision by the president regarding the National Broadcasting Council

In accordance with the Radio and Television Act, KRRiT presents an annual report on its activities for the previous year to the Sejm, Senate and president. In the event of rejection of the report by the Sejm and Senate, the term of office of all members of the National Council expires within 14 days, counted from the date of the last resolution. The term of office of the National Broadcasting Council does not expire unless it is confirmed by the president.

These regulations were cited in the latest announcement by the KPRP. “(…) The President of the Republic of Poland did not confirm the expiry of the term of office of the National Broadcasting Council. As a result, the term of office of all members of the National Broadcasting Council does not expire,” we read.

The National Council is composed of five members appointed: 2 by the Sejm, 1 by the Senate and 2 by the president. Currently, the National Broadcasting Council is composed of: Maciej Świrski, who is its chairman (appointed by the Sejm in September 2022), Agnieszka Glapiak – deputy chairman (appointed by the Sejm in September 2022), Hanna Karp (appointed by the president in October 2022), Tadeusz Kowalski (appointed by the Senate in August 2022), Marzena Paczuska (appointed by the president in 2022).

During the debates in the Sejm and Senate on the KRRiT report for 2023, representatives of the government coalition accused the KRRiT in its current composition of, among other things, violating the principles of justice during its rule. PIS the principle that the Council “guards the freedom of speech in radio and television, the independence of broadcasters and the interests of recipients, and ensures the open and pluralistic nature of radio and television” and political bias in relation to public broadcasters and their news programs during the PiS government. On May 9, the then head of the Ministry of Culture Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz informed that a motion had been submitted to the Sejm to bring the chairman of the National Broadcasting Council before the State Tribunal. On May 23, members of parliament from the ruling coalition submitted a preliminary motion to the Sejm to bring Maciej Świrski before the State Tribunal. The authors of the motion accuse the head of the National Broadcasting Council of “blocking approximately PLN 300 million from the subscription fee for public radio and television, blocking concessions for private broadcasters: TVN, TVN24, Radio Tok FM, Radio Zet” and failing to conduct statistical research on the viewership of television stations in Poland. Świrski considered the motion to be an attempt to intimidate him and the National Broadcasting Council.