The legal battle between former Polish opposition leader Donald Tusk and “Gazeta Polska” has reached its conclusion in the Warsaw District Court. The ruling mandates the weekly newspaper to issue an apology for a satirical cover published on July 20, 2022. The cover was a direct reference to Tusk’s statement, “If you believe in God, you don’t vote for PiS,” which he had repeated multiple times. Despite the clear link to Tusk’s remarks, “Gazeta Polska” was found liable.
Following the verdict, Sławomir Sawicki, legal representative for “Gazeta Polska” and its editor-in-chief, Tomasz Sakiewicz, voiced his disagreement with the court’s decision.
“We do not agree with this ruling. The cover featured satire and caricature, directly connected to the content of the article. It explicitly referenced Donald Tusk’s statements when he was still the opposition leader. We will appeal the decision,” Sawicki stated.
The journalist association Stowarzyszenie Dziennikarzy Polskich had also intervened, arguing that such a satirical cover should be permissible. However, the court dismissed these arguments.
“The justification is quite interesting, particularly as the judge referenced my final remarks regarding the United States. In the U.S., such a cover would not be a matter of legal dispute because freedom of speech is highly protected there,” Sawicki noted.
He emphasized that “depicting someone in a satirical manner should be legally permitted and should not be subject to court proceedings.”
When asked whether the ruling could serve as a warning to other media outlets, Sawicki responded:
“It could be interpreted that way. Similar actions against ‘Gazeta Polska’ have not received the same judicial protection as Donald Tusk’s lawsuit. Such satire should not be subject to legal restrictions.”
He concluded by stating that the appeal would focus on similar arguments but that they would wait for the court’s written justification before proceeding further.