Polish government confident of majority for media reform bill - Reuters

sanirbanir.blogspot.com

A protester holds a placard with the logo of the TVN Group during a demonstration in defence of media freedom and against a proposed amendment to the country's broadcast media law regarding the share of foreign capital in Polish media, in Bydgoszcz, Poland August 10, 2021. Roman Bosiacki/Agencja Gazeta/via REUTERS

WARSAW, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Poland's government said on Wednesday it was confident of still commanding a majority in parliament, despite the dismissal of the leader of a junior coalition party as deputy prime minister.

It also said it believed it would have enough support to win a vote in parliament on media ownership rules later on Wednesday that has become a test of its stability.

The dismissal of Jaroslaw Gowin, head of the centre-right Accord party, on Tuesday made it uncertain that the coalition that has ruled Poland since 2015 can continue to function.

Accord announced its withdrawal on Wednesday, leaving the eurosceptic United Poland as the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party's only junior partner in a coalition that is at odds with the European Union over issues including the rule of law and media freedoms.

The coalition can also rely on the votes of a number of lawmakers who are not officially members.

Government spokesman Piotr Muller said he believed the United Right alliance could still govern and pass the media bill that has been strongly criticised by the United States.

"I am counting on it that questions related to the media law will gain a majority in parliament and I am sure that the United Right government will continue to function, because there are people in parliament from Accord and outside Accord who want to support the government," spokesman Piotr Muller told public broadcaster Polskie Radio 1.

Gowin's opposition to tax reforms contained in the government's flagship Polish Deal economic programme was key to Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki's decision to request his dismissal, Muller said on Tuesday. read more

"TEST OF CHARACTER"

Gowin told private radio station RMF FM that each of Accord's lawmakers had received a "very politically attractive" proposal to remain in United Right, including ministerial posts.

"This is a day that will be a test of character, above all the character of Accord politicians," he said.

Parliament is to vote on an amendment to the Broadcasting Act proposed by a group of PiS lawmakers that would strengthen a ban on non-European firms controlling Polish broadcasters. read more

PiS says it wants to stop countries such as Russia and China taking control of Polish broadcasters. Critics say the aim is to gag TVN24, a popular news channel that has often been critical of the government and whose licence expires on Sept. 26.

"The purpose of the act is to defend the Polish market. This is not the liquidation of TVN," PiS lawmaker Marek Suski, one of the authors of the proposed changes, told parliament.

TVN24 is owned by U.S. media company Discovery (DISCA.O), and the vote threatens to sour relations with Washington and deepen concern in the European Union over democratic standards.

Accord had opposed the amendment to the Broadcasting Act in its current form.

Reporting by Alan Charlish, Pawel Florkiewicz, Alicja Ptak; Editing by Hugh Lawson, Giles Elgood, Nick Macfie and Timothy Heritage

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Adblock test (Why?)

"Media" - Google News
August 11, 2021 at 08:35PM
https://ift.tt/3AxduJd

Polish government confident of majority for media reform bill - Reuters
"Media" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2ybSA8a
https://ift.tt/2WhuDnP

Bagikan Berita Ini