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Polish, EU diplomats meet over disputed media, court laws Polish, EU diplomats meet over disputed media, court laws
(about 3 hours later)
WARSAW, Poland — Poland’s deputy foreign minister and the European Commission’s top diplomat in the country have discussed EU concerns over legislation that Poland’s new conservative government has adopted on state broadcasters and the constitutional court. WARSAW, Poland — Poland’s government sought to quell concerns within the European Union that its new laws on state media and on the constitutional court threatened democracy and media freedoms.
European Commission envoy to Poland Marzenna Guz-Vetter said Friday that the talk was “very good, matter-of-fact,” helped clarify many doubts and explained the rationale behind the new legislation. The new media law, which took effect Friday, ended the terms of state radio and television heads and transferred the authority to appoint top state media executives to the treasury minister from a special committee. The conservative Law and Justice party that took power in November argues state media cow-towed to the previous government and lacked objectivity.
Poland requested the meeting after some EU leaders expressed concern, saying the legislation threatened democracy and media freedom in a major EU member state. The minister immediately appointed right-wing politician and journalist, former European Parliament member, Jacek Kurski, to head the state TV. Kurski said he will look to put state TV at the heart of the country’s national values and traditions.
Deputy Foreign Minister Konrad Szymanski it was “relatively easy” to explain Poland’s position, while stressing that the rule of law and media pluralism are equally as important to Warsaw as to Brussels. Poland’s deputy foreign minister and the European Commission’s top diplomat in the country met Friday to discuss the EU’s concerns over the legislation, which is due to be replaced by mid-2016 with a sweeping law that will give the government full control of state radio, television and the PAP state news agency. The new law will not cover Poland’s private broadcasters.
The commission’s envoy to Poland Marzenna Guz-Vetter said the talks were “very good, matter-of-fact” and helped clarify many doubts.
Deputy Foreign Minister Konrad Szymanski said it was “relatively easy” to explain Poland’s position.
They also discussed recent legislation that introduced changes to the Constitutional Tribunal, a top court.
The European Commission will debate Poland’s rule of law on Jan. 13.The European Commission will debate Poland’s rule of law on Jan. 13.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.