“This is an element of repression and an attempt at intimidation,” said Jacek Ozdoba, leaving no doubt as he commented on actions taken against journalists from independent media. At the same time, Niezalezna.pl has launched an initiative aimed at reaching U.S. congressmen, EU politicians, and international organizations to draw global attention to the state of freedom of speech in Poland.
The goal of these actions is to exert pressure on the Free Speech Zone community, weaken independent newsrooms, and create an atmosphere of fear in which journalists will be afraid to expose matters inconvenient for those in power.
Jacek Ozdoba, an MEP from Law and Justice (PiS), was asked on TV Republika about repression against journalists from independent media, both in the case of Republika and Leszek Kraskowski.
The politician assessed that “it is difficult to see this as anything other than an element of repression against the television station, because clearly they are bothered by the fact that you expose their mistakes and policies.”
“The role of every television station is to inform society, but this is not understood by propaganda outlets such as today’s Polish Television in liquidation. There, everything is cheerful and everything is fine – you will not see the truth there. This is an element of repression, an attempt at intimidation. This government does not understand one thing: the more it attacks you, the stronger you become and the more Poles see the phenomenon and hard work of journalists,” he added.
Ozdoba emphasized: “if anyone thinks that Michał Rachoń or Tomasz Sakiewicz can be intimidated, they are mistaken. They do not look like people who are afraid. I congratulate you, because if on the other side there is Marcin Kierwiński, I have the impression that he does not understand a certain fundamental issue. Television is an important element of the functioning of the state and informing society.” In his view “we are also dealing with a situation concerning the destabilization of the state. There was an entry into the family home of President Karol Nawrocki, followed by actions against Tomasz Sakiewicz, CEO of the largest news television station. Regardless of whether someone likes this term, television is an important element of public life and geopolitics.”
“If someone enters the apartment of the head of the largest news television station, and a woman present there asks what is happening, after which she is handcuffed by officers, we are dealing with a situation that raises serious questions,” said the PiS MEP.
He added that “if even basic mechanisms of communication do not exist, then soon a foreign intelligence service may be able to destabilize the entire state.”