Members of Poland’s conservative opposition party, Law and Justice (PiS), started a vigil at the headquarters of the public television broadcaster TVP on Tuesday evening. This move was in response to the Sejm, the lower house of Poland’s parliament, adopting a resolution concerning “the restoration of legal order and impartiality in public media and the Polish Press Agency (PAP).”
Notably absent from the Sejm session were 109 PiS deputies, including their leader, Jarosław Kaczyński. During the vote, many of these deputies were present at the TVP headquarters, demonstrating their opposition to the actions of the Sejm majority. PiS leader Kaczyński emphasized the necessity of the protest against the government’s actions, stating, “There is no democracy without pluralism in the media, without strong anti-government media.”
Kaczyński further said that “in every democracy, there needs to be strong anti-government media. In Poland, these happen to be the public media, and this will not change in the near future. Therefore, we must defend these media, precisely because we are defending democracy and the citizens’ right to access information.”
Kaczyński announced that groups of 10 PiS deputies would take turns holding vigils at the TVP headquarters. Among the first to participate was former Education Minister Przemysław Czarnek, who described the Sejm’s resolution as “Stalinist.”
Highlighting the role of public media in ensuring access to information, Kaczyński pointed out its importance in the context of democracy and, in light of changes within the European Union, Poland’s independence. He voiced concerns about alleged German-French plans aimed at federalizing Europe and potentially undermining the sovereignty of certain states, including Poland.
Kaczyński also spoke about Prime Minister Donald Tusk. In his opinion, Tusk returned to Poland from Brussels “with a certain task.”
“He knows that honors and a truly great career await him in exchange for this. Failing to accomplish this task would essentially mean his end,” said the head of the PiS party.
