Presidential aide announced on Sunday that Polish state-owned media, alleged to have been “taken over illegally and in contravention of the constitution,” will no longer receive funding with the participation of President Andrzej Duda. The statement comes amid a heated dispute between President Duda and the newly appointed government led by Donald Tusk.
The disagreement centers on a decision by the culture minister last Wednesday to dismiss senior management from state-owned media companies. The government asserts that these media outlets had become politicized by the former ruling party, Law and Justice. Marcin Mastalerek, the head of the President’s Office, made it clear during an interview with private broadcaster Polsat News that media management deemed to be appointed illegally and against the constitution would not be financially supported with the president’s involvement.
Mastalerek emphasized the president’s stance, stating, “You can figure out, you are after all very good at figuring things out, how else to give money to illegally seized media.”
Despite the tension, Mastalerek indicated that President Duda remains open to discussions on public media. He highlighted the heightened emotions surrounding what he termed as the “political blackmail” of Donald Tusk’s party, Civic Platform. According to Mastalerek, this attempt at political maneuvering failed to succeed, citing the veto by President Duda on a 2024 budget-related bill on Saturday. The bill included provisions for salary raises and a substantial allocation of PLN 3 billion (EUR 690 million) for Polish Television (TVP).
As the political standoff continues, the future of state-owned media funding remains uncertain, with the rift between President Duda and the government led by Donald Tusk escalating.