Poland liquidates all public media before restructuring – minister

Bartlomiejs Sienkiewicz said that the move will ensure the work and restructuring of public television and radio stations and the national news agency PAP, avoiding layoffs, according to a statement published on the X (formerly Twitter) social network.

“Liquidation status can be revoked at any time by the owner,” meaning the state, he wrote.

The move is expected to further exacerbate the standoff between the government and President Andrzej Duda, an ally of the previous government who has criticized these government reforms and vetoed state media subsidies.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s pro-European government came to power this month, replacing the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party that had ruled the country for eight years.

Last week, the government fired the management of the controversial public media outlet, explaining it wanted to restore “impartiality” following the media outlet was repeatedly accused of biased reporting, broadcasting government propaganda and verbal attacks on the opposition under the PiS rule.

The move prompted PiS lawmakers, who call the reforms an attack on media freedom, to stage a sit-in at the public broadcaster’s building.