The issue of Poland's controversial new amendments to its media law will be discussed by the European Union's executive body. EU and Poland is said to meet later this month.
President Jean-Claude Juncker of European Commission decided to schedule a debate this coming January 13, which signaled a troubling issue regarding the newly passed changes which was passed by Poland's conservative-nationalist Law and Justice Party. The announcement came after German politician Günther Oettinger called on the European Union to address the controversial issue.
The European Commission wrote to Poland's ministers stating its concern over the legislation. However, Poland's government, Law and Justice Party (PiS), has rejected the idea that it wants to eradicate or at least limit the freedom of speech.
On December, the governing nationalist party of Poland decided to push the law through parliament. The new law provides the government a power to assign managers of state-run news organizations. Poland's new law has struck many citizens from Warsaw with fear. It is said that the new law will forcefully shut down the Poland's freedom of speech.
Polish President Andrzej Duda defended Poland's new law. He said that the changes in legislation were necessary as for 8 years under the previous pro-EU government, the state broadcasters were 'deeply one-party media'.
EU Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Oettinger, told the German newspaper in an interview that it was 'arbitrary' to dismiss a director of a news agency without providing a reason. He also added that an even bigger concern of the EU is that state broadcasters could eventually 'lose their function', namely to inform citizens independently. The EU commissioner also said that they need to strengthen the independence of regulators and then threatened to put Poland on notice for infringing on common European values for legislation.
Reporters like, Association of European Journalists (AEJ), the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), and Reporters Without Borders (ESF) are said to be among those new agencies who have expressed their deep concern regarding Poland's new law. Association of European Journalists said that the law would 'effectively bring public service television and radio under the direct control of the government', which then will lead to a systematic editorial bias in the content and will favor present government.
In the initial phase of EU and Poland's discussion, the Commission will gather information and assess whether there are clear indications of a systematic threat to the rule of law. If the EU finds a threat, it will then initiate a dialogue with Poland.
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