“This is the dismantling of democracy in a blatant way, without even pretending. Soon even print media will be shut down. This government is so primitive, clumsy, so subservient to foreign interests…” — this is how Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of the Law and Justice party (PiS), commented today on the court’s decision to overturn the broadcasting license decision for, among others, TV Republika.
Today, the Provincial Administrative Court (WSA) announced its ruling in the case concerning the complaint against the National Broadcasting Council’s (KRRiT) decision to allocate a spot on the multiplex to TV Republika.
The WSA annulled the challenged decision by the KRRiT, along with the resolution dated June 21, 2024. At the same time, the court ordered reimbursement of legal costs to the complainant, according to Judge Barbara Kołodziejczak-Osetek.
Judge Kołodziejczak-Osetek stated that there had been a “flawed assessment of the applications.” She questioned the justification provided by the authority — “vaguely invoked pluralism, vaguely invoked public interest concerning only select entities.”
The verdict is not final and binding.
Kaczyński: “A scandalous matter“
Jarosław Kaczyński addressed the matter at a press conference today.
“If someone doesn’t see this decision as evidence that this government has no arguments and… is making decisions that move Poland even closer to Belarus and Moscow than it is today… Then that is truly something scandalous,” said the PiS leader.
He reiterated the need for “radical reform of the judiciary,” including administrative courts, which he believes should be dissolved in their current form.
“Today’s court decision is the clear dismantling of democracy, without any pretense. Soon even print media will be shut down. This government is so primitive, so awkward, so beholden to foreign interests… The media system protects them, and millions of Poles have no idea what kind of situation they’re living in,” — added Jarosław Kaczyński.