The denial of entry to Republika TV journalist Janusz Życzkowski at a crisis meeting in Wrocław, during the flood that struck southwestern Poland, has sparked wide controversy. The incident reached beyond Polish borders, drawing a response from the Council of Europe. KPRM (Chancellery of the Prime Minister) has responded to a parliamentary inquiry on the matter, and their statement is nothing short of scandalous!
Republika TV Journalist Left Outside
The incident occurred on the morning of September 17, when a flood crisis team, including Prime Minister Donald Tusk, convened in Wrocław. Republika TV reporter Janusz Życzkowski arrived, hoping to pose questions on behalf of millions of viewers regarding the flood situation. Yet again, he was told, “he’s not on the list.”
“But we applied for accreditation yesterday. Please check again why Republika TV isn’t on the list. Why are you ignoring millions of Republika TV viewers?” Życzkowski asked an official, but received no reply.
Council of Europe Responds
A few days later, the Council of Europe’s Platform for the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists took notice.
“The Platform enables the Council of Europe to systematically monitor media freedom in member states and take timely, coordinated action if needed,” the Platform stated.
They issued a recommendation calling for equal access to public meetings and press conferences for all media. This alert, recognized by international media and freedom-of-press organizations, was classified as “intimidation and harassment of journalists,” rated “level 2,” identifying state authorities as threatening media freedom.
PM’s Office Outrageous Response
Lawmakers, including Joanna Borowiak, contacted Sejm Speaker Szymon Hołownia. KPRM, represented by Jan Grabiec, replied, but the response has raised eyebrows.
“KPRM makes every effort to ensure equal access to information about the government’s work, including live streaming of Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s appearances. During the September floods, KPRM streamed all crisis team meetings from September 16-25, 2024, on its social media and YouTube. Thus, anyone interested could watch the meetings at any time. Even media not present at the meeting could broadcast the streams live and replay them later.”
Were They Avoiding Tough Questions?
It’s worth noting that Republika TV utilized this option during the flood, streaming meetings from the Lower Silesian Voivodeship Office on September 18, 21, and 25. – KPRM continues to defend its stance.
But That’s Not All…
“KPRM ensures access to information for media following Article 54(1) of the Polish Constitution and Article 2 of the Press Law. All media are subject to the same accreditation rules, and they must apply within the set deadline. During media events, KPRM must maintain order and ensure absolute safety for all participants, especially the Prime Minister and government members. In cases of rule violations by any media outlet, we reserve the right to deny accreditation,” the statement reads.
Republika TV reporters regularly follow accreditation procedures for government conferences.
Alleged Assault on Security Personnel
In the final paragraph of Jan Grabiec’s response, the tone shifts to a serious allegation.
“On September 16, 2024, a Republika TV representative allegedly attacked an SOP (Government Protection Service) officer before one of the crisis meetings. This unacceptable behavior affects the accreditation process. KPRM has consistently granted accreditation to all media, regardless of their content. Republika TV, like other outlets, has regularly received accreditation for events organized by the Government Information Center. However, Republika TV’s representatives have repeatedly failed to observe the standard rules that apply to all media at these events. Despite numerous requests to maintain decorum, they disrupted events organized by the Government Information Center.”